LA GRANGE — The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center (TCHCC) in La Grange invites you to a family Sunday Funday filled with music, food, laughter, Czech culture and remembrance during the 24th annual Slavnost ‘May Fest’ on Sunday, May 18.
Festivities begin with a recognition ceremony at 10:30 a.m. The Czech Immigrants to Texas will be honored and the stones on the Immigrant Wall will be recognized.
A special honor will be given to the founder and past president of TCHCC, Retta Slavik Chandler, during the ceremony.
A chicken fried chicken dinner will be served beginning at 11:30 a.m. Plenty of Czech-style desserts will also be available, along with refreshing beverages of all kinds.
There will be live music beginning at 11:30 a.m. after the ceremony until 4 p.m. on the deck of the main center by the Donnie Wavra & Friends Orchestra.
There will be a special per- formance by the Stfíbranka Orchestra from the Czech Republic from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The day's activities also include a traditional May Pole Dance at 2:30 p.m., and demonstrations will be done at the Zapala Saw Mill and the Czech Newspaper Museum. Czech-founded organizations will have booths to visit for you to learn about their great services.
The Czech Heritage Society will have activities for the children and the family. You'll also have a chance to shop in the Pastry Shop and the Kopecky Gift Shop, where you'll find unique gifts for dads, grads, birthdays, newlyweds and Christmas ornaments in stock year-round and much more. New shipments are in from the Czech Republic as well.
Have you seen the Czech Village?
During Slavnost, tour the TCHCC Czech Village, which includes structures from the late 1800s and early 1900s depicting what it was like for early Czech Texans as they began life in their new home.
See the latest additions – the Mary Magdalene Chapel of Mnisi and the Blacksmith Shop. The village also features houses from the Kalich, Hoelscher, Migl, and Hluchanek-Salas families. The Hoelscher Haus is home to the Polka Lovers Club of Texas Museum, and the Kalich House serves as the Czech Music Museum of Texas. The Village also includes the Zapala Saw Mill, Janak Barn & Texas Czech Agriculture Museum, a double log crib, Czech Newspapers Museum, and the Velehrad SPJST Lodge #19.
Make it a weekend in La Grange … The Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill State Historic Sites will also have the Bluff Schuetzenfest on Saturday, May 17, which adds another cultural event to the area. This makes for a great weekend at TCHCC and gives time to visit the many great sites in La Grange.
Book a room at the Best Western Hotel just around the corner from TCHCC. Call for reservations 979-968-6800 and be sure to ask for the TCHCC discount.
In case of inclement weather, the Slavnost will continue in the Pavilion Hall on the grounds.
