Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Montgomery Kolacky Days royalty honor Czech heritage & culture May 8, 2025

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Montgomery Kolacky Days royalty introduce themselves at the Czech May Day KCHK Radio tent, from left to right, Miss Congeniality Tayla Kline, 1st Princess Olivia Skluzacek and Queen Neysa Anderson. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

NEARLY EVERY SMALL TOWN community celebration comes with royalty. And Montgomery, Minnesota, is no exception. While attending Czech May Day in this Le Sueur County town on Sunday afternoon, I saw a whole lot of royalty.

Gathering around the May Pole for a royal photo before the pole raising. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

I am impressed by the poise and confidence of these young women who represent not only their community, but also their Czech heritage. They are well-spoken, graceful, truly deserving of their royal positions.

A sampling of the Kolacky Days queen portraits ringing the walls of the Arts & Heritage Center of Montgomery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Since 1931, Montgomery has crowned princesses and a queen during its annual late July Kolacky Days celebration. Kolacky is a Czech treat, a sweet bun with a fruit or poppyseed filling. Montgomery calls itself the Kolacky Capital of the World and perhaps rightly so. These folks love this Czech pastry, which is baked in home kitchens and by the thousands at Franke’s Bakery, a community staple since 1914.

The flag of Slovakia, which was once part of Czechoslovakia, flies at the Czech May Day celebration. The flag of the Czech Republic also flew. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)
Montgomery’s 2025-2026 Masopust King Isaak Worm introduces himself. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)
A royal sash. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

There’s a whole lot of pride in being of Czech ancestry and I love that about Montgomery. These folks share their heritage, teaching all of us about culture, food, traditions and more still celebrated and honored generations removed from the homeland. They celebrate Czech Masopust (which has a Masopust king), Czech May Day and Kolacky Days.

Royalty take a break to visit and enjoy the May Day entertainment. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

You’ll find Montgomery’s royalty at these events, promoting community and heritage. Area high school juniors living within a five-mile radius of Montgomery or neighboring Kilkenny are eligible to enter the Montgomery Kolacky Days queen competition. They are judged in three categories: interview, talent and evening gown.

On the state level, Miss Czech Slovak Minnesota represents the Bohemian heritage. Here she holds a May Pole ribbon in Montgomery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

Those chosen as the queen, first and second princesses and Miss Congeniality must then attend 15 specific events during their year-long reign. Now that takes time and commitment. They are rewarded with not only scholarships, but also new friendships, travel and a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on Montgomery and its Czech and Slovak heritage.

I saw lots of these red royal family t-shirts at Czech May Day. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

I observed lots of support for these young women who represent Montgomery in traditional Czech costumes at events throughout Minnesota. Their families sport red t-shirts with “Royal Family” emblazoned across the back. Elementary-aged girls also wear red tees reading “Kolacky Days Royal Little Sister.” Future princesses or queens perhaps.

Miss Czech Slovak Minnesota Queen Sarah Langridge of Prior Lake holds a May Pole ribbon. She moved from Europe to Minnesota at age eight. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

Even the current Miss Czech Slovak Minnesota queen attended Czech May Day in Montgomery entertaining the crowd in song, but mostly gracing everyone with her presence.

Gathering around the May Pole. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

As these young women mingled and later wound ribbons around a May Pole, I considered how much they care about their Czech culture and heritage—enough to carry on a royal tradition of 91 years.

FYI: Montgomery celebrates its 91st Kolacky Days on July 25-27, 2025. Click here to read the history of how Montgomery royalty has been selected through the years. Contestants were not always judged; it’s an interesting history.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Celebrating the Irish from green beer to Mulligan stew, music, royalty, parades & more March 12, 2025

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The Irish national flag flies outside an Irish pub in Wabasha. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I’VE NEVER ATTENDED a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. I’ve never eaten corned beef and cabbage. But I have eaten Irish stew at The Olde Triangle Pub in Wabasha, although not on St. Patty’s Day.

Green beer outside a bar in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I once spotted a partially-filled cup of green beer sitting outside a bar in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the day after St Patrick’s Day. I’m quite certain I’ve consumed an Irish lager or ale, although the beer was not colored green.

The Church of St. Patrick in St. Patrick. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I’ve never attended a St. Patrick’s Day Mass, although I’ve photographed the exterior of the Church of St. Patrick, Cedar Lake Township in the unincorporated village of St. Patrick.

A tombstone in the Church of St. Patrick Cemetery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I am 100 percent German, although I had a full-blooded Irishman uncle (he died a year ago) from Belfast. He married into the family.

Now if any of this qualifies me to be an Irishwoman for a day, I will accept the luck of the Irish and don some green on March 17 or thereabouts.

The Olde Triangle’s hearty Irish stew. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

We can all be Irish in mid-March as communities, churches, restaurants and bars, and more celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. In my region of southern Minnesota, you’ll find lots of ways to be Irish. Starting on Saturday, March 15, Sacred Heart Church in Waseca gets festivities underway with Irish music and Mass at 10:30 a.m. A Parade of Clans to The Mill Event Center follows at noon for an Irish rally. I take rally to mean a big party—food, including Mulligan Stew and corned beef and cabbage, served from a food truck; beer; music and entertainment; and more fun. At 7 p.m., Miss St. Patrick and Miss Irish Rose will be crowned. A dance follows. I should note here that Waseca is home to an Irish pub, Katie O’Leary’s Beef & Brew.

Signage on St. Patrick’s Tavern in St. Patrick. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

The tiny, unincorporated Scott County burg of St. Patrick, basically a church, cemetery, baseball field and tavern, is, of course, honoring the patron saint (and its name) via food and music at St. Patrick’s Tavern. The bar and restaurant along Old State Highway 13 northeast of New Prague will serve corned beef, cabbage and red potatoes on March 15 with a green beer on tap. Food and beer specials continue on March 17. There will be music both evenings.

Shamrocks in my yard, planted by friends. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Over in Le Center, a full day of Irish-themed festivities begins at 11 a.m. March 15 with Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Over at the American Legion, Mulligan Stew will be served from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. And then at 2 p.m., the big St. Patrick’s Day parade through downtown Le Center begins. Presiding over everything will be the newly-crowned royalty—Miss Shamrock, Miss Leprechaun and Miss Irish Rose. Dancing in the evening at the Legion wraps up the celebration.

A St. Pat’s Day decoration in a storefront window in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

In Owatonna, VFW Post 3723 is hosting a March 15 St. Paddy’s Day Dinner & Trivia party with dinner choices of corned beef and cabbage or Shepherd’s Pie, plus sides and dessert, served from 5-6:30 p.m. Irish Trivia follows at 7 p.m. with a chance to win a Pot of Gold. There will also be leprechaun races and other activities.

(Promo source: Paradise Center for the Arts Facebook page)

Music centers a high-energy show Saturday, March 15, at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault as Twin Cities-based The Northerly Gales brings its spin on Celtic Folk and Americana to the stage at 7:30 p.m. And, yes, you can enjoy a beer while enjoying the music.

Patrick’s on Third anchors the corner on the left of this block in downtown St. Peter. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Over in St. Peter, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on the actual date, March 17. Paddlefish Brewing offers a special on its Leprechaun Lager. I expect the Irish and not-so-Irish will also gather at Patrick’s on Third for food and drink, including green beer. The Govenaires, the longest, continuously-operating drum and bugle corps in the U.S., performs in the 5:30 p.m. St. Patrick’s Day Parade and then briefly afterwards at Patrick’s on Third. The Governaires are traveling to Ireland in August to participate in the Rose of Tralee International Festival. They are encouraging donations of $17 on March 17 to help fund the trip.

Irish pride shows on the Kilkenny, Minnesota, water tower. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

So there you go, a sampling of St. Patrick’s Day activities happening in my region. But I must mention one more thing. If you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Kilkenny, Minnesota, you’ll have to wait. The Le Sueur County town of some 150 with the Irish name shifted its annual Irish celebration to September. Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day is set this year for September 13 and 14. Mark your calendars for more Irish fun six months from now.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling