Welcome to Dozinky

New Prague will pull out all the stops this weekend as it celebrates the 34th Annual Dozinky Festival.

The Czech Harvest Festival has become one of the highlight of the year for many in the community. It gives local residents a chance to celebrate the community’s ethnic and agricultural roots, as well as the progress the community has made in the 34 years since the first celebration started.

For many years, New Prague didn’t have an official community celebration. We were always happy to join our neighbors in Montgomery celebrating Kolacky Days, in Le Sueur celebrating Corn on the Curb Days and in Belle Plaine celebrating Bar-B-Q Days. A group of community leaders that were working on revitalizing New Prague’s downtown in the mid-1980s felt that New Prague needed its own celebration. These founders were honored several years ago as grand marshals of the Dozinky Parade of Farm Pride.

They could not have imagined what Dozinky would become. Each year, up to 10,000 people gather in the downtown area to listen to music, look at crafts, enjoy food and drink and visit with friends, neighbors and family members. Former residents come from all over the country to visit on this weekend, and there are even a few visitors each year from the Czech Republic who join the community in celebrating the Eastern European traditions.

Dozinky has become a special time for this community. Here’s hoping this weekend is a safe, festive success.