Schedule of events for Czech & Slovak museum reopening

Four years after massive flooding nearly washed away Czech Village and its historical landmarks, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is reopening with a festive fanfare Saturday and Sunday.

Here is a list of grand opening activities.

Saturday

• Galleries, Library, Museum Store and classroom close at 8 p.m.; food tent and beer garden close at 10:30 p.m.
• 9 a.m.: Parade of States Pageant, followed by opening ceremony and ribbon cutting
• 11 a.m.: Museum, Library, Gallery exhibits open, John and Sarah Mucha welcome visitors to Mucha exhibition; Mucha film and Monumental Move films inside theater; Babi's Bakery, Kava and Kolace on terrace; library tours; hog roast and food tent, $10 food, $2 soft drinks and water; beer tent and garden, $4 beer, $2 soft drinks and water
• Noon: Creation Station activities for children by Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
• Noon to 6 p.m.: music and dancing to Czech Plus Band and the Craig Erickson Band with Natalie Brown, museum's outdoor amphitheater
• Noon Lecture: “Resourceful Expressions through Folk Dress.” Sonya Darrow will discuss and present folk dress compositions that examine her cultural identity in Cedar Rapids and how Czech and Slovak heritage still connect to her daily life.
• 1 p.m. Lecture: “The Mucha Foundation: Preserving Mucha's legacy.” John Mucha on the Mucha family's efforts to preserve his artistic legacy.
• 2 p.m. Lecture: “Inside the Magic that is the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre.” Learn what led to the creation of this New York City-based company. Vit Horejs will discuss developing puppetry productions, working with a creative team of artists and an equally colorful team of puppets. Meet the marionettes and the puppeteers who will perform on Sunday.
• 3 p.m. Lecture: “Art Nouveau and le style Mucha.” Tomoko Sato on Mucha's contribution to Art Nouveau: How le style Mucha influenced Art Nouveau and evolved into the works Mucha created after his return to Bohemia.
• 4 p.m. Lecture: “Czech Beer Brewing Heritage: A History & Tasting of Staropramen Beer,” by Jerry Patzwald, Midwest sales manager, Staropramen Czech Lager.
• 1 and 3 p.m.: Story time featuring Czech & Slovak tales, in the Skala Bartizal Library, presented by the Cedar Rapids Public Library
• 7 to 9:45 p.m.: Gypsy jazz by Caravan of Thieves, with Gypsy swinging, serenading and fire-breathing.
• 9:45 p.m.: Free Light Show, large-scale light show will cover the entire face of the building, featuring 20,000 lumens of light, art and sound.

Sunday

• Festival and Museum close at 5 p.m.
• Museum, Library and Exhibits open; Building Blessing and Service, outdoor amphitheater; Babi's Bakery, Kava and Kolace on terrace; Library tours; Creation Station activities for children by Cedar Rapids Museum of Art; Mucha Film and Monumental Move films inside theater; ice cream social and activity tent with Papa Balloon, face painting and caricatures; food and beverage tent, $8.50 food, $2 soft drinks and water.
• 1 to 3:30 p.m.: Gypsy Jazz by George Grosman, Concert Stage.
• 1 and 3 p.m.: Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater of NYC presents “The White Doe,” $5, free under age 4.
• 2 p.m.: Story time featuring Czech & Slovak tales in the Skala Bartizal Library, presented by the Cedar Rapids Public Library.