MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) – Kolacky Days started in 1929 and is celebrating its 90th year. While much has changed, many traditions, including the tasty pastry itself, remain the same.
“The Kolacky represents where the Czechs came from and is our kind of our signature piece of our festival,” Community Club member Maureen Franek said.
The name Kolacky comes from a popular sweet dinner roll the Czech made.
The rolls for this celebration come from Franke’s, who make almost 20,000 Kolackys for the festival.
“They have been around for over 125 years, and they are on Main Street in Montgomery in the same building that they’ve been there for on the corner for many, many years making our delicious kolackys,” Franek said.
Kolacky Days was almost “Industrial Days” but newspaper editor, Peter Keohen knew a good thing when he saw it.
“He said if the people tasted that bohemian, that delicate delicacy of a bohemian bun called the kolacky. They’d certainly want to come back the next year again, and he was right,” volunteer Dale Ruhland said.
The annual celebration was put on hold after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the following world war. It was brought back in 1948 by the Montgomery Community Club.
“It became one of the biggest celebrations in southern Minnesota. We had many dignitaries, senators and congressmen. We even had the Vice President of the United States here back in the 60s, Hubert H. Humphrey,” Ruhland said.
Kolacky Days is a community event and wouldn’t be possible without the people of Montgomery.
“It is such a rich history. It really is important to all of the community members,” Franek said.
Kolacky Days will wrap up its celebration this weekend with 35 events and its hour-long parade featuring new and old Kolacky Days royalty to celebrate the 90th anniversary.
To learn more about the celebration head to https://www.montgomerymn.org/.
Click here to download the KEYC News Now app or our KEYC First Alert weather app.
Copyright 2024 KEYC. All rights reserved.