Polka Pride!

Today we headed south to West, Texas for Westfest and embraced all things polka and sausage. Westfest is a Czech/Polka festival.  It includes food, culture, dance, and Czechoslovakian fun!  We started out by ordering some kolaches (both fruit and sausage) and gobbled them up while listening to polka and watching a few brave couples dance.  Who doesn't love a little accordion, right?!

After that we perused the wares and I didn't know "bedazzled" camouflage pants and tied-dyed shirts were part of traditional Czech dress but to each their own. Keri had to be strong.  Didn't even touch the tied-dyed stuff.  She knew once she did her college years addiction to it would resurface. (Kelly, you'd be so proud of me!).

Doesn't tied-dye just make you feel happy, though?!

We made sure we did fun stuff for the kids too.  Played with blocks, visited the petting zoo... 

Then we enjoyed some of the cultural dancing and parade of costumes.  It was shaded and we had a breeze there!  Whew!

The folk costumes were traditionally worn at wedding, funerals, and important occasions.  The decorations revealed what area the person was from, marital status, and often included symbols depicting their religious beliefs, such as designs repeated 3 times to represent the holy trinity.  The embroidery and lace on many of the clothes was amazing.  And the sleeves were puffy beyond belief in some cases.

 

This couple has been married for over 50 years!

We had a great time even though it was still in the triple digits out and our kids held up pretty well.  On the way home we stopped in Waxahachie to venture into a crazy little art studio we'd heard about.  It was funky as all get out!  There were several toothpick sculptures - an Eiffel tower, zeppelin, Ferris wheel, wind mill and other craft, each made with thousands of toothpicks.  Thank goodness for Elmer's glue! Couldn't get a decent picture with either glare from outside and back lighting from inside!  Oh well, you get the idea.

 Also, just a few steps away we saw this beautiful Ellis County Courthouse, constructed in 1895.  Gorgeous! 

Very full day!  Lots of fun to try something new!