BEATRICE – The Nebraska town known as the Czech Capital of the USA is getting set to put on a 61st annual celebration.  Wilber will host the National Czech Festival kicking off Friday…two years removed from a Covid interruption.


"It's great to be back and have people back in town and be able to do things. The economy of Wilber was hurt by the year of the pandemic, not being able to have it that year. But, things are coming back slowly and we're on a roll now...and we're excited for this 61st festival."


Teri Shestak is President of the Nebraska Czechs of Wilber. The celebration’s opening day on Friday includes a community awards ceremony, Czech dance demonstrations and a seven p.m. kids parade along the town’s Main Street.  Before the celebration starts, local residents and volunteers are treated to some entertainment Thursday evening…where the Wilber-Clatonia Alumni Band puts on a concert at the city’s park.


The Czech organization prints about 22,000 brochures listing celebration activities, and Vice-President of the Nebraska Czechs of Wilber, Randy Kozeal, says distribution of them starts early.


"Anytime we're out on the road anywhere, we've really gotten a good welcome response from businesses and things where we can leave those brochures, so we can get the word out to more places, all the time."


On Saturday and Sunday, parades are held at two p.m.   Sunday's parade will be televised on NCN.  "Our Saturday parade is probably a little bit shorter than the Sunday Parade. On Sunday, the Shriners come through, so that makes it a little bigger. This year's theme is "Sing Me a Song", Shestak says. 


With hot weather expected through the weekend, Shestak says the Czech organization is urging everyone whocomes to town to be careful to stay hydrated…
"That is one thing both Randy and I would like to stress this weekend to people. It's supposed to be very warm. We really hope people will drink water and keep hydrated. If they're not feeling well, go some place where it's air conditioned, for a while....and just take care."


Kozeal says Wilber has an army of citizens volunteering every year to put on a great celebration. "It's a great community effort here, with a lot of people local, and even from out-of-town that come here and help us volunteer and put this all together. To give you an estimate of how many that would be....it would be in the hundreds."


Wilber will host the 35th annual Miss Czech Slovak U.S. Pageant during this year’s celebration, with contestants from seven states competing for the crown.