Featuring food, music and clothing that commemorate a specific Central European culture, an annual heritage celebration in Southeast Nebraska is one that "checks" all the boxes.

"Check" out some of the scenes from downtown Wilber this weekend, as the small city comes to life for its annual Czech Days festival, a three-day celebration of heritage and culture that for more than six decades has brought people of all ethnicities to a place that has earned the title of Czech Capital of the USA.

"It’s something that young and old look forward to, coming together each year," said Jen Pospisil, one of the event's organizers and volunteers. "Sometimes it’s a class reunion, sometimes it’s family reunions for people. And not only are we celebrating the Czech heritage and culture, we’re also providing an economic boost to Wilber and to Southeastern Nebraska as well."

More than 20 different states and a handful of countries had representation at the 64th annual installment of the event this weekend, with many volunteers and participants donning the attire of the culture, wearing tailored vests with custom embroidering or the historic Czech dress, which is called a kroj.

"Honestly it’s kind of crazy, actually. It blows my mind every year how it all happens," Pospisil said. "We have 52 different committees that do their part to make everything run very smooth every year. We have hundreds of volunteers that help this event take place. And it’s because somehow the Czech Festival is meaningful to them, whether they have family ties, or they just love coming here and celebrating, and they want to be a part of it."

The event has become a full circle experience for Pospisil, who began going to this event with her parents  and is now in her tenth year volunteering at Czech Days, now with her own children on board.

"I had no idea what I was getting myself into," she smiled. "I live here so I’ve never missed a Czech Days, I’d come with my parents or grandparents, but I always came here to dance, to have fun, to eat the food...so to kind of get the behind the scenes look was a little different at first, but now I just love it and I can’t get enough of it."


The presence and importance of Wilber's Czech heritage is clearly demonstrated all along the town's central streets, which are filled every August with vendors, paraders, and dancers, all seeking to enjoy a cultural celebration that's known across the state.

You can watch one of this year's Czech Days parades live on Sunday afternoon on News Channel Nebraska.