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Czech out all the fun at the TCHCC Heritage Fest & Muziky, Oct. 17-18 in La Grange
The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange will host the 13th annual Heritage Fest & Muziky on Oct. 17 and 18. The Festival will begin on Friday evening on the terrace in front of the Main Center with the Octoberfest on the Deck beginning at 4:30 p.m. with music by the Dujka Brothers from 6 - 9:30 p.m.
Mark and John Dujka have been making music together for over 36 years and have several acknowledgements to their name. TCHCC’s famous homemade Chicken & Dumplings will be served while it lasts in the Hanslik Banquet Hall beginning at 5:30P. Bring your lawn chairs, but leave your coolers at home, please!
Saturday, the big day kicks off at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony with the CHS Czech Royalty and area dignitaries at 10:30 a.m. The Ewald Kubota Hospoda will be filled with cold pivo and musical entertainment by the Lavaca County Line Band and Mark Halata & Texavia from 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
The Czech Heritage Society of Texas Youth Dancers will also perform at 2P. In the Fraternal Mutual Pavilion, enjoy more hospitality and music, including a performance by The Vintage Drafts Band from 12 noon – 3 p.m. The Czech Fraternal Organizations will sponsor a variety of fun activities all day in that area too. No admission to the grounds and events on Friday evening and Saturday during the day!
Enjoy more music at the annual Muziky, Muziky event from 7-9:30 p.m. in the Sanford Schmid Amphitheater, with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. Always a popular part of the Heritage Fest, this year’s Legends Series is Part XI and will be celebrating 55 Years of the Red Ravens Band! The Red Ravens will be playing all your favorite tunes as we travel through time, reliving on their journey to be one of the longest performing bands in Texas. Master of Ceremonies for the show will be Mr. John Dujka. Admission to the Amphitheater is only $15, students $10 and under 12 free. Tickets can be purchased by cash/check at the gate only.
In addition to enjoying the great music, you’re invited to stroll the Czech Village, an early 1900s recreated village complete with residential houses, barns, and stores. Demonstrations of early life in Texas will take place throughout the grounds all day, including working in the Zapalac Saw Mill, the operation of the Czech Newspaper Museum press and engine, blacksmithing, corn shelling and grinding, hay pressing, and the making of textiles, soap, noodles, sausage, and more. Children activities will be available by the Leo’s Club (train ride), CHS Royalty (games), KJZT (pumpkin painting), SPJST, KJT and RVOS (games) along with many other activities for everyone to take part in. The famous Kolace Eating Contest (1P), Stein Holding Contest (3P), are a few favorites. There will also be mule drawn wagon rides around the grounds all day!
A huge antique farm equipment show sponsored by the South Texas Wheel Spinners & Crank Twisters Club and a big antique/ classic car show by H&H Automotive Supply of Schulenburg and La Grange NAPA, will spread throughout the Czech Village. The Janak Barn & Texas Czech Agricultural Museum displays farm practices and implements from the late 1800s to 1940s. Visit the vendors for some good buys, including fresh, stone-ground corn meal for cooking, pickles, jellies & jams, and much more.
The Czech Village houses two music museums. The Czech Music Museum of Texas, located in the Kalich House, features four genres of Czech music – classical, folk, polka, and liturgical. The Polka Lover’s Club of Texas Museum, located in the Hoelscher House & Huebner Center, features a display of Texas polka bands, as well as memorabilia and photos of the Polka Lover’s Club of America, Texas Chapter. Continued on back… Inside the TCHCC Main Center, stop by the Kopecky Gift Shop to browse the brandnew stock of authentic Czech items, T-shirts, caps, crystal, periodicals, large selection of music CDs, and new Christmas decorations for 2025. The Hanslik Hall will be the site of the annual KJT State Taroky Championship. Swing in there and they’d be happy to teach you this fun card game.
Enjoy the current featured exhibits at the Center: When Cotton was King in the museum and the updated military and glass exhibits in the library. Have you always wondered about your Czech roots? The spacious Melnar Library will offer help with genealogy research, and volunteers will be on hand to help out.
In case of rain, the Fest will move to the comfort of the Pavilion Hall and Fairgrounds area. Plenty to do for the entire family. Come Czech out all the fun and variety you could imagine.
