Masopust - Czech Mardi Gras is February 11
Montgomery begins the Lenten season when it celebrates Masopust, the Czech Mardi Gras, on February 11 at the American Legion Club.
Activities include music by The Charlie Sticha Band, a silent auction from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., performances by the St. Paul Czech Dancers, and Czech food available all day including pork and dumplings. Masopust is a carnival so costumes are encouraged and prizes will be awarded.
The event will also include a king coronation where King Zach Tuma, will turn over his title to a new king. Tuma said the year as an ambassador went great. He said he got to meet a lot of new people and saw how other communities celebrate their heritage.
“No matter where you go, it always seem that people are willing to get together and have a good time celebrating what we all have in common, the love of our heritage,” he said.
A highlight for Tuma was Montgomery’s May Day celebration and the raising of the May Pole. After being rained out and rescheduled, the event drew hundreds of people and was fun, he commented.
Being Masopust King often allowed Tuma to attend events with the Kolacky Days royalty. One of the events they team up for is their appearance in the Anoka Halloween Parade. When Montgomery’s ambassadors attended, their float was decorated in the theme of the board game, “Candy Land”. Tuma recalls setting up the float.
“The funniest thing that probably happened during the year was the whole royalty trying to set up the Candy Land version of the float for the first time. We had no idea what we were doing,” he said.
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