Houby Days

The Houby Days Festival is an annual event in Historic Czech Village. Houby (pronounced hou-bee) is the Czech word for mushrooms. Hunting them is a major activity of the Czechs and Slovaks and they gather them by the basket full. There are many varieties that are eaten and as the Czech’s are fond of saying, “All mushrooms are edible, at least once!” They are gathered from early in the spring until late in the fall and the woods are always full of mushroom pickers. It is a family activity, so children usually know by the time they are 10 years old which mushrooms to pick and which mushrooms not to touch. On a beautiful summer day, the woods will be full of families, walking, talking and gathering mushrooms. Here in Cedar Rapids, we celebrate the tradition and all that it means to the Czech and Slovak. Houby are not only a source of food but they are also a fun family activity. At our Houby Day Festival, we strive to bring a fun family day, filled with food, music, games, vendors, carnival, balloon glow and activities of Czech-Slovak heritage.