The District: Czech Village & New Bohemia
Czech Village/New Bohemia Urban Main Street District is a vibrant urban neighborhood model for historic preservation and economic development. Building on its unique history, it is a dynamic…
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Location: Czech Village
Time: 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM
208 12th Ave. SE, Suite G
Cedar Rapids, IA
Date: Friday, May 17 2024
The Houby Days Festival is an annual event in Historic Czech Village. Houby (pronounced hoo-bee) is the Czech word for mushrooms. Hunting them is a major activity of the Czechs and Slovaks and they gather them by the basket full. There are many varieties that are eaten and as the Czech’s are fond of saying, “All mushrooms are edible, at least once!” They are gathered from early in the spring until late in the fall and the woods are always full of mushroom pickers. It is a family activity, so children usually know by the time they are 10 years old which mushrooms to pick and which mushrooms not to touch. On a beautiful summer day, the woods will be full of families, walking, talking and gathering mushrooms.
Here in Cedar Rapids, we celebrate the tradition and all that it means to the Czech and Slovak. Houby are not only a source of food but they are also a fun family activity. At our Houby festival, we are also striving to bring a fun family day, filled with food, music, games, activities and Czech-Slovak heritage.