2022 Saturday Parade Winners

Floats
1st Place – First State Bank Nebraska – “Roll out the Barrel”
Runner‐Up – Abloom Floral & Gifts, Crete – “Elvis”

Bands
1st Place – Milligan Czech Brass Band, Sponsor First State Bank Nebraska
Runner‐Up – Maurice Costello Polka Band, Sponsor Bruning Bank

Antique & Classic Cars
1st Place – 1929 Model A Ford Pickup, Owners Greg & Dean Burling
Runner‐Up – 1929 Model A Ford Coupe, Owner Galen Beck

Miscellaneous
1st Place – T.J. Sokol Crete
Runner‐Up – Miller Sales

Tractors
1st Place – 1937 John Deere B Long Frame, Denise & Frank Slama
Runner‐Up – 1974 International 1066, Strouf Farms – Wilber, Driven by Connor Kohout, Milford

Equine & Saddle Clubs
1st Place – No Entries
Runner‐Up – No Entries

2022 Vehicle Raffle

Ford Escape:
Emil Odvody

Cash Prize:
Nicole Buck (Texas)
Gail May (Wilber)
Barb Coleman (Wilber)
Marcus Montoya (Wilber)
Ken Niemeyer (Dewitt)
Becky Shin (Wilber)
Melanie Hernandez (Arizona)
Rebecca Province (Lincoln)
Sherry Clarkson (York)

2022 Knights of Blanik and Ladies of Libuse Award Winners

The Knights of Blanik and Ladies of Libuse awards shall be presented to not more
than twelve individuals per year, who have, by their contributions or efforts,
contributed significantly to the preservation, enhancement or development of the
Czech heritage promoted by the Nebraska Czechs of Wilber. The recipients may or
may not be of Czech descent, and may or may not be residents of Wilber or
Nebraska. The first Knight and Lady awards were awarded in 1969. After the
announcements this evening, the honorable group will consist of 502 members.

Cassidy Kowalski-Miss Kowalski was the 2021 Wilber Czech Queen. It was a
pleasure to watch this young lady bloom in the royalty position. Queen Cassidy
and her royalty family traveled thousands of miles to promote the Wilber Czech
Festival. She was available to greet any out of town guests to Wilber, representing
the community with style and grace. The Wilber Senior Czech Dancers have also
been graced with the addition of Cassidy as a dancer for many years. Cassidy has
stepped up and now helps Dirk Altman teach the group. Cassidy is an excellent
ambassador of wilber, Czech capital of the USA.

Mariah Kohrt-has been an “honorary Czech” since 2011. She spent her first few
years volunteering at the Wilber Czech Museum and participating in the “Tales of
the Czechs” historical pageant. She traveled with the 2015 Wilber Czech Royalty
family to many festivals where she promoted the festival by handing out
brochures. Since 2018 she has worked at the Wilber Fox Hole Tavern. In this
position she has served Czech Specialties for breakfast, makes Houska and Kolace
and has a traditional Czech dinner every Thursday to locals and guests of Wilber.
Mariah also “live streams” the awards ceremony for the Miss Czech Slovak US
Pageant.

Lyn Tenopir begin playing the trumpet at a young age and has been entertaining
crowds in Wilber for over 35 years. Since joining the Alumni band in 1989, Lyn is a
dedicated member and plays first part in the trumpet section and is also a core
member of the Booster Band. Both bands function to promote, preserve and
share the Czech Heritage and culture in Wilber and everywhere they go. Lyn pulls
the band trailer to events, is a carpool driver for any member needing a ride and
assists with setting up and tearing down the band float. He offers quality ideas
and decision making of the band and has a way of putting a smile on the faces of
the rest of the band as they creates a fun atmosphere of delightful music.

Laura Barlow-has been a part of the Wilber Czech Festival since she was in the
children’s parade at 9 months old, danced with the Jr. Czech Dancers at age 5, and
continued on to the Senior dancers and alumni group after she graduated from
high school. She and her twin brother, David were the 2000 Wilber Czech Princess
and Prince. Laura also served as a little sister for two years and was crowned the
Wilber Czech Queen in 2009 promoting Wilber and the Czech Heritage throughout
Nebraska. Laura announces at the Outdoor Theater & bandstand, works the
information booth and helps with the dance contest. You can find Laura helping
with the National Queen pageant reception and is chairman of the Wilber Czech
Royalty committee.

Luann Tichy Beach of Laramie, Wyoming, is a 1974 graduate of WC public schools
and has special, long time ties to Wilber. From 1966 to.1974, Luann was an active
member of the Wilber Beseda Dancers, served dinners at the Wilber lst Lutheran
Church, helped develop floats for the parades and was a dedicated worker of the
WC FHA ice cream stand. In 1974, Luann was crowned the Wilber Czech Queen
promoting the Wilber Czech festival and greeting people across the state,
welcoming them to Wilber. Luann competed in the Miss Nebraska Czech Queen
contest and Miss Dog Patch USA during her reign. Luann and her family have
attended many of the Wilber Festivals and continue the Czech customs, foods,
culture and heritage with her family.

Barb Petracek was co-owner of the Wil-Bol Bowling Alley for twenty eight years in
Wilber, where she welcomed festival guests and promoted festival activities. A
long time Czech parade float builder for her children, grandchildren and great
grandchildren, she has also supported her great grandson Collin Kohout as Wilber
Czech Prince and encouraged him to play the button accordion. She helps the
Wilber Legion Auxiliary as an officer and volunteers to work the Legion Bingo
Stand during the festival. As a member of the Wilber T.J. Sokols, Barb works
Czech events at the hall and also volunteers to make kolace and dumplings. Barb
provides the cottage cheese filling for kolace at the Wilber Catholic Church and
also helps with the marathon baking day at the church.

Randy Kozak– of Lincoln, has been a long time member of the Wilber Clatonia
Booster Band where he shares his trumpet playing talents. The booster band
travels to many area celebrations and parades to entice guests to come to Wilber
for the Czech festival. As a good musician, Randy rarely misses a note on his
trumpet and attends all of the Alumni Band performances throughout the Wilber
Czech festival. While in high school at Wilber-Clatonia, Randy worked as a waiter
at Hotel Wilber and now helps in the Hotel Wilber Beer Garden. For many years,
Randy helped the Kozak nephews build floats for the enjoyment of the spectators
of the children’s parade on Friday night.

Elaine Parde– of Dewitt is a dedicated member of the Wilber Catholic Church.
Elaine’s day starts very early on the Thursday Kolace ‘Baking Day at the Wilber
Catholic Church where she starts the Kolace dough, continues baking throughout
the day and then washes dishes until everything is cleaned up and put away.
During the festival, Elaine is the lead vocalist providing music for the Polka Masses
and also the authentic, traditional Czech hymns for the many guests of the festival.
under her direction, the Wilber Catholic choir has traveled to St. John’s Catholic
Church in Lincoln to perform the Czech Polka Mass. This event promotes and
entices more guests to attend the activities of the Wilber Czech Festival.

Kathy Massahos Kinney and Bill Kinney of Peoria, Arizona have been long time
supporters of the Wilber Czech Festival from afar. Kathy grew up in Wilber and is
the youngest daughter of lnez and Ed Broz. A 1967 graduate of Wilber-Clatonia
High School, Kathy was a young teenager in 1962 when the Czech Festival first
began. Kathy helped with festival duties, wherever she could with community and
school organizations, music and dance. After graduation, Kathy worked at UNL
and joined the Foreign Service and worked two years at the American Embassy in
Paris, France. Even though Kathy and her husband Bill Kinney do not live in Wilber,
they have graciously and generously donated funds to support the Wilber Czech
Festival for the past decade. They understand the importance of the Wilber Czech
Festival and the economic and financial impact and sustainability it has on the
development and success of a small community. Wilber- Czech Capital of the
USA Results for the Wilber Czech Festival Art Show click here

Results for the Wilber Czech Festival Art Show click here

2021 Dance Contest 

11 and Under:

First place, Brynlee Zienann, Kylie McMillan, McKinley Yeager, all age 11, of Crete, clog dancing to ‘Fire Burning.’
Second place, Hadley Brandt, age 11, of Friend, clog dancing to ‘Burnin Up,’
Third place, Harper Svarc, 9, crete, clogging duet, ‘Year 3000’
Fourth place, Aaron Panning, 11, of Wilber, piano solo, ‘Polka Dot Polka.’

12-17:

First place, Hannah Koca, 17, Lincoln, vocal solo, ‘All I Want’
Second place, Luke Gage, 16, Iowa City, Iowa, clarinet solo, ‘Clarinet Polka
Third place, Adaline Linscott, 17, Fairbury, piano solo, ‘This Is Us,’; Brynlee,14
Fourth place, Paislee, 10, McKinney, Missouri, dance to ‘Grease.’

18 and Over:

First place, Jenna Palensky, Chase Peeler, voice and sax duet, Czech version of ‘Annie’s song by John Denver, Kdyz milenky placou’
Second place, Jeff Searcy, Lincoln, original song
Third place, Julia Ramirez, volcal solo
Fourth place, Austin Sinn, vocal solo, “I Can Only Imagine’