By Cindy Hadish/for the Corridor Business Journal New businesses are bringing new energy to the Cedar Rapids Main Street District, as many owners seek to leave 2020 in the rear-view mirror. “This past year has been hard,” said Carol Elliott, owner of Aroma Artisan Pizza, which offers wood-fired pizza at the NewBo City Market, as […]
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Category: Czech
Photos: Czech Village hosts 2021 scaled ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Organizers hosted a scaled-down version of the popular Houby Days festival, one year after the annual event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Kicking off with a concert by the Czech Plus Band on Friday, May 14, 2021, the event continued into Saturday with street vendors, food and more. The […]
Czech Three Kings lore warns gardeners o...
Temperatures that soared into the upper 80s in Iowa and elsewhere in the Midwest this weekend are giving way to overnight lows in the 30s. While a hard freeze isn’t predicted, at least for now, it’s not unheard of to have a late-season frost in Iowa. Czech lore, brought to the United States by immigrants, […]
Giant mushroom appears in Czech Village ...
By Cindy Hadish CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Czech Village has found a silver lining from last year’s derecho. The hurricane-strength windstorm uprooted trees and created havoc throughout Iowa, hitting the Cedar Rapids area particularly hard. Trees that toppled in Czech Village damaged restrooms next to the Kosek Bandstand, but one of those is now serving […]
Auction signals end of era for family-ow...
By Cindy Hadish BELLE PLAINE, Iowa — Auction-goers here will bid on bits of history from a family-owned business that spanned generations in central Iowa. A multitude of tools, fans, rakes, air compressors, fishing gear and numerous other eclectic items crowd tables and floor space at Weeda Auction Service in Belle Plaine, ready for the […]
Looking back: Cedar Rapids Cultural Cele...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Just before social distancing became de rigueur, the Czech Heritage Foundation was among organizations to participate in the Cedar Rapids Public Library’s Community Cultural Celebration & Expo. The event, held March 7, serves as an illustrative example that understanding our differences can bring us closer together. Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart […]
Houby Days canceled in Czech Village due...
CEDAR RAPIDS — Like many event organizers making difficult decisions, the Czech Village Association has opted to cancel this year’s Houby Days, which had been scheduled for May 15-17, 2020. “After 42 years , it is with great sadness, that we announce the cancellation of the 43rd Annual Houby Days Festival scheduled for May of […]
Czech Village celebrates Christmas tradi...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A Czech celebration known as Svatý Mikuláš was particularly timely this year in Czech Village. The tradition, known in the U.S. as St. Nicholas Day, is celebrated in the Czech Republic on Dec. 6, which coincided perfectly with the Friday night the Czech Village Association annually holds its festivities. Related: Learn […]
Piecing together a faux Bohemian kroj
Buying a kroj wasn’t on my radar when I visited the Czech Republic several years ago. The traditional folk costumes, with elaborate designs worn in years past for weddings and other celebrations, are now uncommon in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, outside of dance troupes or folk festivals. Being involved in Czech-American organizations, we’re occasionally […]
Replica in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, torn down...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A crowd marked the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall by tearing down a smaller version built by students. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library partnered with Metro STEAM Academy, Iowa BIG High School and Alburnett High School to build the 60-foot-long wall earlier this year. […]