The January 2011 Czech and Slovak Newsletter

 

Dear friend,

A few days late, but better late than never, here's another Czech and Slovak newsletter. It's been a busy month, with all the Christmas and New Year's events organized by both the Czech and Slovak communities. We hope you've had a peaceful, very traditional Christmas and wish you a great year of 2011.

All this time we've also been busy gathering contacts of the fellow Czechs and Slovaks and for the first time, this newsletter goes out to almost 250 countrymen, most of them in the greater Melbourne area. We're thriving to reach as many members of the communities as possible, so after reading this issue, please, feel free to hit Reply and send us contact details of Czechs and Slovaks you know.

The 2011 Australia Day People's March

The year has started in a big style, with the Slovak group participating in the 2011 Australia Day People's March just two days ago, a stroll along Swanston Street, from Bourke Street all the way to the Botanical Gardens. This was the first time that either Slovak or Czech community took part in the march, but definitely not the last.

The Slovak group comprised of 36 participants, most of them wearing traditional folklore costumes from different regions of Slovakia, the rest wearing our custom designed t-shirts stating "I love Slovakia ...and Australia, too!". Just behind the sign "Slovaks in Australia", we carried an Australian and Slovak flag, followed by the Slovak symbol between a freshly baked bread and a saucer with salt.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so, for those who didn't know about the event or didn't get a chance to walk with us, here's just ten of them:
http://vodafest.org/gallery/2011-australia-day-peoples-march

The biggest Thank You goes out to those who provided a few hours of their time to take part in the march. We know that the feeling of proudness is the greatest reward for all of you! For the beautiful folklore costumes, we'd like to thank Ivanka Jancarova, Mrs. Vanova, the Mocnay family, the Slovak Social Club 'Ludovit Stur' and Sumava Peksa Park. The Slovak Embassy in Canberra provided us with Slovak flags and the symbol, the Australian Slovaks' Association in Victoria helped us with organization and the t-shirts. The Sweet Guys, Heidelberg baked the amazingly Slovak bread for us and the Slovak Social Club 'Ludovit Stur' invited us to the Slovak picnic in by Cherry Lake in Altona. Thank you all!

The Czech and Slovak Night at Sumava Peksa Park

The Czech and Slovak nights have now become a tradition in Melbourne. With the January one replaced with the visit of the Slovak Embassy in Canberra, the 2011 Australia Day People's March and the picnic, the next one has to be huge! And it will!

This time it's going to be literally a night! Actually, it's going to be more than a night! A full Czech and Slovak day and night, and then another day, starting at 10AM on Saturday, 12. February, going for the entire Saturday, the night and finishing on the Sunday morning.

We are thrilled to invite you all to the fourth Czech and Slovak Night which will take place at Sumava Peksa Park (where VodaFest took place) on the weekend of 12.-13. February 2011. If you can't or don't want to stay for the full 24 hours, you don't have to, but we strongly advise you to bring the tents, sleeping bags and pack the car with camping and BBQ gear! Just in case...

As this is going to be a huge night, there is an entry fee. It is $27 per adult and $12 per child and it will cover your entire overnight stay, catering and entertainment at Sumava:

  • 24-hour on-site parking and access to the facilities,
  • beer garden style covered seating under a 6x6 m gazebo,
  • campfire made beef and pork goulash for lunch,
  • live Czech and Slovak music,
  • reproduced music and entertainment by the one and only DJ Hukacka himself,
  • grilled kransky for dinner,
  • a campsite for overnight stay, or an indoor area for the bivouacers,
  • coffee and toast with scrambled eggs for breakfast.

People, that is still nothing! Apart from all that, Koliba Czech and Slovak Restaurant has provided us with two large kegs of Czech beer! That is a whole 200 (!) large beers to be tasted free of charge!!!

And if even that weren't enough, Gitka and Jozef from The Sweet Guys will be selling their popular hollow cake (Skalicky trdelnik) for a very reasonable price. Yum!

Children activities

  • On-site playground, scooters, bicycles,
  • skipping rope, ball games,
  • banksia cones creations (very popular amongst children at VodaFest),
  • watching the Czech and Slovak cartoons.

Adult activities

  • working bee to shape up and develop the Sumava Peksa Park,
  • tasting of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages,
  • cooking, grilling and eating,
  • playing and singing Czech and Slovak songs, dancing!
  • a beer-related competition (sorry, not a beer-drinking competition),
  • watching a Czech or Slovak movie.

What to bring

As you can see, even if you came empty handed, you'd still be fine at our Czech and Slovak Night. However, feel free to bring your

  • extra beverages and food for BBQ and campfire grilling,
  • your camping and BBQ gear,
  • any musical instruments (except for vuvuzela),
  • CD's with the Czech and Slovak music,
  • DVD's with the Czech and Slovak cartoons for the kids,
  • sunscreen and an insect repellent,
  • a tent and sleeping bags,
  • suitable clothing for the day and night.

By the way, all the Eastern European cooks out there! If you haven't realized by now, this is the best opportunity to show off your mastership in front of an expert jury! If it is schnitzels, or a traditional unhealthy salad (yum!), a home-made pickle, a babovka, or any other cake for that matter, bring it on and let people shower you with compliments!

Update your calendars, now!
Date: Saturday 12. February 10AM - Sunday 13. February 10AM
Location: Sumava Peksa Park, 46 Locks Way, Belgrave South VIC 3160

That wraps it all, I guess. You now have 15 days to get ready for a great summer weekend out, the Czech and Slovak style!

Cheers,
Jan + the guys from Koliba and Sumava

Comments

The Sweet Guys

Guys,

where can I find The Sweet Guys? I so want to get my hand on Skalicky Trdelnik!!!

If you know where can I get it in Melbourne, please please please let me know!

 

Thanks

Bosh

The Sweet Guys

Address: 9 Moresby Court, Heidelberg West VIC 3081

Mobile: 0424 366 836

The Sweet Guys

Olympic Village
Heidelberg (West?)

You better call and order some as they don't have them every day.

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