Rain or Shine: Kolache Festival celebrates 50th year

Even a cold, wet morning — with relentless on again-off again rainfall and temperatures in the 50s — didn’t break the festive spirit of celebration during the 50th anniversary of the Czech Kolache Festival Saturday in Prague.
An hour before the festival parade began, small crowds gathered under storefront awnings, inside their vehicles and under umbrellas to secure a good viewing area from which to watch the floats stream by. As the time for the parade drew nearer, the crowds grew larger and they continued to grow throughout the remainder of the parade.
As the last floats turned off Jim Thorpe Boulevard onto Main Street, the rain that had ceased moments before the parade began returned and sent festival visitors rushing again to find cover from the heavy drops.
Among those seeking shelter from the rain was 71-year-old Bertha (Howell) Dostal, Bristow, and some of her family members who traveled from Claremore to attend the festival.
“I was going to these festivals for years before Bill [her late husband] and I got married,” Dostal said. “We were married 40 years before he died and I still keep coming.”
Dostal said her first visit to the Kolache Festival was when she was about 19. She lived in Shawnee at that time and visited the festival with her cousin.
Four years later, she and her husband began living in Prague and attended the festival each year.
It was in Prague that the first four of Dostal’s children were born. One of those children, Chris, said he remembered visiting the festival when he was very young and has returned annually since.
Continuing with family tradition, he and his wife, Tracey, brought their daughter, Ryley, 2, to the festival for her second time this year.
As the Dostals discussed their plans for the day, which had changed somewhat due to the rain, others gathered under the various tents along Main Street to feast on a variety of foods available from area vendors.
Among the most popular areas for the day were the beer tent — which featured dancing and music, the wine pavilion — with live music, fresh kolaches and a variety of other Czech and made-in-Oklahoma foods, and the midway — full of games, prizes and rides. 
Another vendor, Moores Market, began the day with 85 fresh kolache dozens to sell, by the dozen and individually. Just after noon, their supply was down to less than five dozen kolaches.
Slightly before 1 p.m., festival officials made the decision to cancel the music at the grandstand.
While John Arnold, Norman, packed the sound equipment he brought for the day, a few young girls discussed their disappointment in not being able to dance as planned, while huddling to stay warm in a tent next to the grandstand.
“I still want to dance,” one said to another. “I don’t care if there isn’t any music.”
But most parents understood the reasons for the decision and agreed it was the right call to make.
“They told us to go ahead and go home, that it wasn’t worth them dancing outside and ruining their dresses,” David Cleveland, father of Davey, 11, and Racine, 13, said. “Some of these costumes and dresses are expensive.”
Davey Cleveland was the 2006 prince and Racine Cleveland was the 2006 princess of that year’s festival, David Cleveland said. Racine Cleveland participated as a junior queen candidate at this year’s festival.
“Her dress cost $2500 because it actually came from the Czech Republic,” David Cleveland said. “We didn’t want it to get messed up.”
Others who were not costumed for the event didn’t seem to mind the mess, such as John and Nelma Young, Prague.
The couple said they had visited the event since the ‘60s and couldn’t miss the parade no matter the weather.
“I like the parade the best,” Nelma Young said. “And the food’s not bad either.”
Names of the royalty selections for this year’s festival were not available as of press time.
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Johnna Ray may be reached at 214-3934.