116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Kolach crowd comes early, waits in line for tasty pastries
CEDAR RAPIDS - For 15 years, Dianne Stanek has been lining up at the annual St. Ludmila Catholic Church Kolach Festival to get her hands on some tasty treats.
She was back again early Friday morning - opening day of this year's three-day festival - along with plenty of others.
'I've never seen so many cars,” Stanek said as she picked up three dozen cherry and one dozen apricot kolaches, some of which she planned to deliver to her mother who lives at Heritage Specialty Care.
The scene outside the church, 211 21st Ave. SW, looked much like a Black Friday shopping event, with lines of cars stretching more than 200 deep and folks waiting up to an hour to get their hands on some kolaches - Czech sweet buns with a dollop of fruit or filling.
'I knew the drive-up was big, but I didn't know it was this big,” said parishioner Ashley Pudil who was handing out order forms and directing drivers on where to go. 'People come to get kolaches regardless of if they go to St. Ludmila's, so I look forward to it every year.”
The drive-up kolach sale, the church's largest fundraiser, took place from 6-9 a.m. Friday, but volunteers said the first customer was on site at 4 a.m. Cars were lined up for four blocks surrounding the church by 6 a.m.
Was it worth the wait?
'Heck yes - I wouldn't come if it wasn't,” said Jerry Wright, who came for the third year in a row. 'When I get home, I'm going to get the coffee started and start eating.”
The festival continues Friday night through Sunday and includes carnival rides, games, food, music and, of course, kolaches, while supplies last. Volunteers are to continue baking throughout the weekend in an effort to resupply the stock.
Cost for the kolaches is $10 per dozen, $5 per half dozen or $1 each. Limits may be enforced depending on supply. Flavors are cherry, apricot, poppy seed, prune, apple, strawberry and rhubarb.
On Friday, it wasn't just customers who got an early start to the day. There also was a small army of volunteers on hand to help, beginning as early as 5:30 a.m.
'This is the most amount of (volunteers) that I've seen,” said Kari Tanberg, whose family volunteers for the church each year.
Jim Drahozal has been volunteering at the Kolach Festival for more than 20 years. He worked from 9 p.m. Thursday to 1 a.m. Friday in preparation for the sale and then came back from 6-10 a.m. Friday as a runner.
He said after doing several different jobs over the years, 'I tend to find the ones I like to do.” He recalled one year where temperatures were very warm and turnout for some of the festival activities was rather low. Even so, the lines for the kolaches remained long, a testament to how people feel about the annual sale.
'They're delicious and you can probably find a flavor you like,” Drahozal said.
l Comments: (319) 368-8535; emily.barske@thegazette.com
A sign points the way to the kolaches during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Austin Wisnousky of Fairfax brings a tray of fresh kolaches out to the point of sale during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Ida Cada of Shueyville and her dog, Belle, receive an order of kolaches from ZachHilleman, 14, of Ely during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
JoDee Janson of Cedar Rapids hands a plate of kolaches to volunteer Zach Hilleman, 14, of Cedar Rapids during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Eric Wisnousky,16, of Fairfax delivers plates of kolaches to a customer during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale, kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Jon Stokesberry, 13, of Cedar Rapids directs traffic during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale, kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Elizabeth Leu, 17, of Marion delivers plates of kolaches to a customer during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale, which saw cars lined up around the block at 6:30 a.m., kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
A sign points the way to the kolaches during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Joan Johnson of Cedar Rapids brushes butter on freshly baked kolaches during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. Johnson is a member of St. Wenceslaus Church, which lost many of its baking supplies in the 2008 flood. That year, members of St. Ludmila's loaned the church its pans and a mixer for its fall kolach fundraiser, so members of St. Wenceslaus are helping out this weekend to return the favor. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Joan Johnson of Cedar Rapids brushes butter on freshly baked kolaches during the drive-through kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. Johnson is a member of St. Wenceslaus Church, which lost many of its baking supplies in the 2008 flood. That year, members of St. Ludmila's loaned the church its pans and a mixer for its fall kolach fundraiser, so members of St. Wenceslaus are helping out this weekend to return the favor. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Peggy Zalesky of Solon stamps balls of dough during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Stephanie Klein of Cedar Rapids fills dough with cherry filling during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Peggy Zalesky of Cedar Rapids sprinkles crumb topping onto apple kolaches during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Ann Rude of Cedar Rapids spread dough onto a pastry form during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's CatholiVolunteers began baking on Thursday night and sold out of kolaches by 8:30 a.m., thirty minutes earlier than anticipated. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Jan Wiltgen of Cedar Rapids forms dough into balls using a pastry dough cutter during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. Volunteers began baking on Thursday night and sold out of kolaches by 8:30 a.m., thirty minutes earlier than anticipated. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Marge Sedlecek of Cedar Rapids flours dough balls during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Dorothy Nemecek and Judy Teply, both of Cedar Rapids flour dough balls before putting them in a warmer to rise during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Volunteers prepare dough before allowing it to rise during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Volunteers prepare dough before allowing it to rise during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Poppyseed kolaches wait to be bagged after baking during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Karen Doyle of Cedar Rapids separates freshly baked kolaches before they're bagged during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Fran Musel sports a vintage kolache button during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Linda McCoy, Jan Wiltgen and Mike Wiltgen, all of Cedar Rapids, bag freshly baked kolaches during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Linda McCoy plates fresh kolaches during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Signs depicting different kolache flavors hang on the wall at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Prune kolaches sit on a table during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Jim Zalesky of Solon (left) and Amanda Lehman of Cedar Rapids check on dough in a row of warmers during the kolach sale at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Bags of flour sit on a pallet in a storage room at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Bags of flour sit on a pallet in a storage room at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 10, 2016. The early morning sale kicks off the church's annual Kolach Festival, which includes food and entertainment. Dozens of volunteers began baking thousands of kolaches on Thursday night. The traditional Czech pastries will use up 80-90 fifty-pound bags of a specialty flour mix prepared for St. Ludmila's Church. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Daily Newsletters