Czech and Slovak Festival coming to Dearborn Heights
Vendors and food highlighting the Czech and Slovak cultures will be on display next weekend in Dearborn Heights.
The 45th annual Czech and Slovak Festival will be held at the Sokol Cultural Center Saturday July 20 and Sunday July 21. Saturday the festivities run from 1:30-9 p.m. and Sunday events go from 12:30-7:30 p.m. The cover charge is $5 each day for adults, with ages 14 and under free.
The center is located at 23600 West Warren Road, Dearborn Heights.
The festival is the celebration of all things Czech and Slovak culture, with a decidedly Detroit twist. There will be live entertainment daily from three bands, with Ken Dowling and Bonnie and The Boys on Saturday. And then Dowling returns on Sunday as well as performances from Polka Revolution.
There will be vendors selling ethnic souvenirs and, of course, let's not forget the food. The sauerkraut and sausage will certainly be in abundance by way of award-winning chef Frank Turchan. And there will be plenty of homemade Czech desserts like Kolaches available from the pastry booth for purchase.
The Czech Republic has over 700 years of brewing excellence in crafting beers and spirits and many of these will be on display for partaking at the Indoor and Outdoor Bistro pavilions.
As with many other ethnic communities the Czech and Slovak people have a rich tradition within the Detroit area.
"Over 150 years ago Detroit Czechs first settled over by Tiger Stadium at Tillman and Butternut streets," said Sokol Cultural Center chairperson James Mack. "That was the first Sokol facility."
The word "Sokol" is Czech for falcon. It's a concept that originated in the Czech Republic and was fostered by Sokol's founder Dr. Miroslav Tyr. His credo to his people was "a sound mind and a sound body." And through Czech community leaders like Tyr the Sokol initiative of wellness, gymnastics, cultural heritage and family values lives on through the celebration of Detroit Czech and Slovak culture this July.
"The Sokol Cutural Center has been here since 1967," said Mack. "The festivals were previously held in Wyandotte. But they've been here at this location in Dearborn Heights since 2004.
"It used to be you had to be half Czech or Slovak to be a member here," said Mack. "But now we've got people of all races and nationalities that participate in our gymnastics programs and activities."
