CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Holiday events throughout New Bohemia and Czech Village offered an abundance of activities throughout the weekend. The annual Very Cherry Holiday, a holiday tradition since 2000, included studio and gallery tours, refreshments, a book sale, rides on the freight elevator with “Ella Vader” and “Luke Skylifter,” Christmas music by the Vintage […]
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Category: Czech
Czech holiday tradition celebrated in Ce...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A Czech holiday known as Svatý Mikuláš was marked on its traditional day on Dec. 6, 2024, in Czech Village. The tradition, known in the United States as St. Nicholas Day, is celebrated in the Czech Republic on Dec. 6, while Czech Village in Cedar Rapids has long held its annual […]
See Czech clock tower figurines in Cedar...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The hand-carved figurines that have captivated passersby since the new Buresh Immigration Clock Tower was unveiled this year in Czech Village will take a winter nap after this weekend. During the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s annual Old World Christmas Market, on Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8, […]
Iconic ghost sign disappears from Czech ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A painted sign seen by generations in Czech Village has disappeared from its prominent position on the side of the Sykora Bakery building. Extolling the benefits of Sykora’s bread, the sign on the bakery at 73 16th Ave. SW, encouraged customers to “Eat our famous rye for health.” The painted advertisement […]
Time capsule from Cedar Rapids convent u...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A time capsule opened in Omaha has made its way back to Cedar Rapids, where the pieces of history from a Catholic convent originated. The Rev. Kenneth Glaser, pastor of St. Ludmila’s Church, said he decided to open the convent’s time capsule in Omaha, rather than Cedar Rapids, so the retired […]
Catholic parish plans to demolish mid-ce...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — One year after demolishing its elementary school, St. Ludmila Catholic Church plans to do the same to its 1960’s convent. The Cedar Rapids Historic Preservation Commission placed a 30-day hold on the demolition permit at its meeting Oct. 24, 2024. That hold expires this month. Commission members noted that the building […]
Czech folkwear meets high fashion in Ced...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library continued its 50th anniversary celebration with a fashion show, where old and new met on the runway. Czech & Slovak Echoes in the USA, the museum’s two-week festival highlighting Czech & Slovak culture, includes concerts, baking classes, a children’s exhibit, and on Oct. […]
Past owners restore piece of Sykora Bake...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Auction lot No. 219 was mislabeled as a coffee bean grinder, but Don and Sheila Janda knew exactly what it was. As owners of the iconic Sykora Bakery in Czech Village during the 1990s, the couple regularly used the metal device to crush poppy seed for their kolaches, a beloved Czech […]
Photos: St. John’s Cemetery Czech histor
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As part of its sesquicentennial celebration, the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church history committee hosted a walking tour of St. John’s Cemetery that highlighted the site’s Czech roots. More than 30 people attended the free tour on Saturday, Oct. 5, one of the events to mark 150 years since the founding of […]
Cedar Rapids church marks 150 years duri...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — History was on display as St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church celebrated 150 years during its annual Czech Goulash Day on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. Founded by Czech immigrants in 1874, the parish retains its connection to that Bohemian history through the festival, with Czech food, music and more. Czech Goulash Day features […]