Spectators view the display entries in the morel contest on Saturday, May 18, 2019, during Houby Days in Czech Village in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

CEDAR RAPIDS – Occasional downpours put a damper on the 42nd Annual Houby Days in Czech Village, but intrepid Czechs and friends-of-Czechs made the best of the weekend’s weather.

Strawberry kolaches are sold by Theresa Grieder of Homemade by Theresa during Houby Days. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Saturday’s Houby Days Parade, sponsored by the Czech Heritage Foundation, battled through early morning showers that led to sunshine and warm temperatures later that day.

Learn more about the Houby Days events.

Crowds came out as the weather improved to enjoy the live music, carnival rides, street vendors and food of the annual festival along 16th Avenue SW in Czech Village.

Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota Taneční Mládež and Teens (Dancing Youth and Teens) and a Royal Afternoon at the Museum, featuring visiting Czech queens from out of state, were among events at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart shows the balloon made in his likeness during Houby Days in Czech Village. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

This year, the 10th anniversary of the Czech Village/New Bohemia Main Street District coincided with Houby Days, and was celebrated with cake and free cupcakes, along with a proclamation by Cedar Rapids Mayor Bradley Hart, who also participated in the parade and other activities, including having a balloon made in his likeness.

Ideal morel conditions in Iowa over the past month — cool temperatures and plenty of rain —  appeared to contribute to more elaborate entries in the morel contest, one of the mainstays of Houby Days, which celebrates the sponge-like mushrooms. (Houby is the Czech word for mushroom.)

Related: Morel reports picking up in Iowa

Winner of the “most unusual” mushroom was Brein Osborn; the largest mushroom win went to Jonathan Reinhart; Shannon Lochner won the “smallest” mushroom category – in which a magnifying glass had to be used to verify it was a morel – and Mike Haugsted won best display.

Though not chosen as the winner, one of the “most unusual” entries is shown in the morel contest. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

A thunderstorm marred Saturday night’s festivities and while Sunday’s weather was brisk, the rain held at bay, allowing events such as the cabbage roll to continue. The contest pits teams against one another using brooms to push cabbages around a relay course.

Also this weekend, Breckyn Pokorny, daughter of Angel and Michael Pokorny of Iowa City, was crowned as the new Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa, and a new Czech Royal Court was crowned, including Czech princes and princesses, ages 12-16 and Little Sisters, ages 6-12.

See morel winners and other photos from last year’s Houby Days and more from the 2019 Houby Days, below:

Contestants compete in the Cabbage Roll in front of Sykora Bakery in Cedar Rapids. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Members of the 2019 Czech Royal Court are shown after their crowning ceremony on May 19, 2019. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Janna Waters, co-director of the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant, leans in to listen to one of the new Czech Little Sisters during the crowning ceremony of the Czech Royal Court. Ashley Pudil, co-director of the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant, is at right, and Miss Czech-Slovak U.S. Janae Buckley is at back. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Visiting Czech queens fill their plates during the banquet for Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Winners of the best display are shown at the mushroom contest during Houby Days. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

The smallest mushroom category winner needed a magnifying glass to verify it was a morel, but these tiny morels also were entered in the Houby Days contest. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

The morel at front, left, was the winner of the “largest” category during the Houby Days mushroom contest. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Sokol dancers from Minnesota perform inside the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library during the festival. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Participants color pictures during A Royal Afternoon at the Museum at Houby Days. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Miss Czech-Slovak U.S. Janae Buckley helps a participant make a flower crown during A Royal Afternoon at the Museum. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

A boy tries on his hat during A Royal Afternoon at the Museum on Saturday, May 18. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

T-shirts were among items sold by vendors during the festival along 16th Avenue SW. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Nancy Schmuecker, owner of Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio, sells morel mushrooms for the Czech Village Association. The mushrooms sold out during the festival. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

A sign advertises the Houby Days specials at Lion Bridge Brewing in Czech Village. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Eggs decorated by Czech artist Lenka Glassner are displayed during Houby Days. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Czech artist Lenka Glassner, center, sold books and decorated eggs during Houby Days. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Czech artists demonstrated their work inside a shop in Czech Village during Houby Days. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Traditional lace-making is demonstrated during the festival. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Carnival rides and games were among the attractions at Houby Days in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Breckyn Pokorny stops in for a kolache at Sykora Bakery before the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

The Mushroom Grill Team was among the winners of the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

The Czech Plus Band performs at the Kosek Bandstand during Houby Days 2019. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Two members of the Czech Royal Court are sketched during Houby Days in Czech Village. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

A vendor sweeps water into the street during the Houby Days Parade on Saturday, May 18, 2019. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Representatives of Sokol, a Czech gymnastics organization, carry a banner during the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Czech School students celebrate the 150th year of the school in Cedar Rapids during the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Grand Marshal Dennis Hrabak, rides during the Houby Days Parade in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

The CSA float prepares to start the route during the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Scouts wait in the rain in front of Little Bohemia for the start of the Houby Days Parade on Saturday, May 18, 2019. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Parade judges (from left) Liz Mathis, Virginia Wilts and Mary Kay McGrath watch entries coming across the Bridge of Lions. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

The Czech Heritage Foundation entry rides along the parade route through Czech Village. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Members of the Czech Heritage Foundation Royal Court wave during the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

The Z102.9 parade entry starts off during the rain in the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Members of the Hamous family wear traditional Czech costumes known as kroje for the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Members of the Czech Royal Court stay dry under umbrellas before the start of the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Spectators wave as entries pass by in the rain during the Houby Days Parade. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Members of the Czech Royal Court and visiting queens pose for a photo after the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant judges Steve Ourecky, Bonnie Rohlena and Meagan Gibbs watch during the pageant at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Visiting Czech royalty from out-of-state introduce themselves during the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Breckyn Pokorny, center, poses for photos with visiting Czech royalty from other states after the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)