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Antigo Area Catholic Churches Set for Festival Season
September is shaping up to be a great month for our Antigo Area Catholic Churches, with two festivals scheduled that not only offer food, games, and fun, but also wonderful opportunities to come together in fellowship with other parishioners and the community at large.
St. John Church is finalizing plans for the St. John Festival set for Sept. 12 at the Langlade County Fairgrounds Multi- Purpose Building. Kaye Matucheski and Karen Duff are cochairing the festival that returns to its full splendor this year.
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The New Generation polka band will play for the Polka Masses at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. in the Livestock Pavilion next to the Multipurpose Building. The food booths will open at 10:00 a.m. and will serve until 3:00 p.m.
“It is an international food festival with the proceeds going to the St. John Church operating fund,” Kaye says. “We are very fortunate to have volunteers from the parish and community who cook the food. Each volunteer cooks from their family specialties and we have different countries represented.”
At least 10 to 12 food booths are planned. There will be Czech kolaches, and the famous St. John Long Johns, a great memory for those who attended St. John School. The Italian booth will have spaghetti and meatballs, the Polish booth will serve pierogies, and the Irish booth will serve Irish stew. There will be a Sweet Shoppe with ice cream. Soda and beer will be for sale.
There will be a Harvest Booth with mums and homemade bread. There will be games and activities for children in the Multipurpose Building.
The Silent Auction will include a Packers package, and items such as quilts will be raffled. The band Lovin’ Country will play in the Multipurpose Building.
Big raffle items will include a freezer full of meat; a Cub Cadet Zero-Turn Mower; 10 cash prizes of $500 each and a cash grand prize of $10,000. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at the parish office and will also be available at the festival.
The Festival has proved to be a very popular event in the area and offers a prime opportunity for fellowship.
“When we moved to the fairgrounds and combined the Fall Festival with the spring food festival, it became a huge event,” Kaye says. “Lots of people come. It has turned into a great community event. People are excited to get back this year.”
Volunteers are still needed to help in all areas of the festival. Anyone interested may contact Kaye at 715- 623-4090. She may also be contacted for raffle tickets.
St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Deerbrook is once again inviting everyone to the St. Wenceslaus Festival set for Sept. 26 on the church grounds. Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., and the food will be served beginning also at 11:00 a.m.
“This is a great fundraiser for our parish, but also a great community event, bringing people from around the county and out of town,” says Calvin Hurlburt. “This is co-sponsored by Catholic Financial Life.”
Festival attendees can enjoy homemade chicken booyah, barbecue, and homemade pies.
“If you have never been to the festival, chicken booyah is a traditional Bohemian soup with vegetables cut very fine with small pieces of chicken,” Calvin says. “It has been part of the Fall Festival since the very beginning. The recipe is a closely guarded secret!”
In addition to the meal, there will be a bake sale, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, bucket raffle, pallet of wood, kids’ games, craft items, homegrown produce, and more. Cash drawings can win $500; $200; $100; and $50. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. Tickets will be available at the parish office. Several businesses in town also will have them for sale.
“At the end of the day, quart jars of the chicken booyah will be available for sale from what might be left,” Calvin says.
