GEARING UP FOR 31ST WESTFEST WEEKEND

Yes folks it's that time of year again...Sept 1,2 and 3...the holy trinity....Every things starts with Westfest Preview Party beginning at 6:30pm Sept 1st at the festival grounds..I still wish they would have the old street dance like they used to..it was so much fun and it was free..There are 8 young ladies vieing for the coveted Miss Westfest crown, currently held by Miss Westfest Shannon Kostecka, with the pagent set to begin at 6:30pm under the East Tent on the festival grounds..
Following the crowning of the new Miss Westfest, country music singers Aaron Watson and Wade Bowen will be the entertainment under the East Tent starting at 7:30pm.
The childrens area at this year's festival is scheduled to have a special price savings offered during the Preview Party only. From 6pm until closing that Friday, children attending the festival will be able to ride all the rides for $15. This price does not include the price of admission nor the price of any game..Just the rides..The price of admission for the Preview Party is $10 for adults and all childrend under age 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
On Sept.2nd, the annual Westfest Parade is set to begin on the Reagan Street side of West City Hall at 10a.m.This event winds throught the city's downtown are with West residents Ed and Dorothy Sykora to serve as the official Parade Marshals.Westfest will then begin at 11a.m and continue thru 12:30am..
Tommy Muska,(he's the one that his only son was killed in car accident and they just had the first Golf Tournament in his name to raise money for his organization)director of Westfest promotions, said festival officials are making plans to try and make this year's festival as comfortable as possible, despite the summer's hot and dry weather conditions."We are attempting to have more misters and shade tents available.We will attempt to increase the number of misters at the festival based on the avaliable water supply."
We will also have for the second straight year, an antique tractor pull for Sept.2nd. A traveling "ag in the classroom"program is planned for both the 2nd and 3rd.The mobile exhibit shows students from grade 1 to 6 how agriculture touches everyday lives. Five different commodities"beef, pork,wheat, corn and cotton will be represented and agriculture specialist will be available to answer questions. There will also be 27 booths featuring various tasty, ethnic foods, hours of ethnic entertainment under the Cultural Amphitheater, over 70 arts and crafts exhibitors, along with non-stop polka music and dancing under the East and West tents..
Other items for the festival include Karaoke and also a Taroky Tournament is scheduled to players from the age of 16 and older.The entry fee is $20 which includes kolaches and a noon meal.There will be washer pitching and Horseshoe pitching both to be held at the Rodeo arena on Sat and Sun starting at 6pm..Let me tell you these czech's can pitch some washers and horseshoes...they are lethal..
There will be various bands playing polkas and walzes on both Sat and Sun.Brave Combo will be playing for the 31st year also.We are supposed to have fire works but with the dry and hot weather and shortage of water..we may have to pass on it this year..but like Tommy Muska said.."If we can't have fireworks..we'll just save 'em up till winter, grab a couple of six packs and set them suckers off."
There is also a Kolache 500 Fun Run set for 8am sept 3rd.Also a Polka Mass will be held by Father Michael Lyons at 10:15 a.m.on Sept.3rd in the Culture Amphitheater.We also will have our annual Kolache Baking Contest for sept.3rd.For the first time they will also have a Buchta Division...cool...they are sooo good..kinda like a struddle..but not..The admission price for Sat and Sun is $7 for adults for each day and $3 for childrenaged 6-12 and senior citizens, under 6 will be admitted free if accompanied by an adult.Senior Citizens will have to ask for the discount...(no one wants to assume your a senior citizen..these old czech's will kick your ass over one year...
I will try and take pictures this year..I did last year but lost the throw away camera..I probably threw it away..
I'm just making this a Westfest edition instead of weekly West edition..wish you were all here to enjoy it..I will probably do like I usually do...stock up on food and stay in house till the whole thing is over with...come on down for Kolaches and a pevo or two...PS.....THE DANCES WITH THEIR HANDS IN THE AIR ARE DOING THE CHICKEN DANCE...