Photo: GK Chicago

Czech Heritage Week in Chicago 2026

04.09.2026 / 22:00 | Aktualizováno: 05.09.2026 / 00:05

We cordially invite you to the 3rd annual Czech Heritage Week, which will showcase the richness of Czech culture in Chicago and the surrounding area from September 19 to 27, 2026. This extensive festival is organized by local Czech-American community organizations in cooperation with the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago. This year’s festival will offer an exceptionally diverse array of events—ranging from classical music and theater to film screenings and historical lectures, as well as folklore celebrations and traditional cuisine—that highlight the deep historical roots of the Czech community in Chicago and showcase our cultural heritage to the broader American public.

For registration and ticket information, please see the information below on this page.

CzHW_01

CzHW_02

CzHW_03

As is tradition, the week will kick off on the weekend of September 19 and 20 with the popular Moravian Days festival, which will feature a Holy Mass, folk crafts, and a performance by the Žadovjáci brass band. The musical highlight of the opening weekend will be a performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center, conducted by Czech conductor Petr Popelka and featuring violin virtuoso Hilary Hahn, during which Dvořák’s Symphony No. 5 will be performed. Classical music and Czech culture will also be highlighted during the week with an evening of Czech opera performed by soloists from the Lyric Opera, a lecture on Antonín Dvořák’s legacy in the United States, and an expert discussion on the rule of law and constitutional traditions in the Czech Republic and the US. Travelers and lovers of Czech gastronomy will be delighted by the Czechia Unveiled gathering, while the exhibition project Moravian Glory will present the beauty of Moravian folk textiles and traditions in a contemporary context.

Film and theater lovers can look forward to the Czech That Film festival at the Facets cinema, which will feature the latest in Czech cinema, including the drama Neporazitelní (Invincibles), the family puppet film Pohádky po babičce (Tales from the Magic Garden), and the film Letní škola, 2001 (Summer School, 2001). The theater will then pay tribute to Václav Havel on what would have been his 90th birthday with a performance of the one-act play Vernisáž (Unveiling) at the Chopin Theatre, followed over the weekend by the Czech monodrama Oko Tygra (Eye of the Tiger), performed by Marek Němec, and the puppet show Dlouhý, Široký a Bystrozraký (Long, Broad, and Sharpsight) by Divadlo Bohemia for children and parents.

The program also features a rich historical, literary, and community dimension. Visitors can look forward to author talks dedicated to preserving Czech-American heritage as well as the vision of autonomous vehicles, take a guided historical walking tour in the footsteps of the Czech neighborhood of Pilsen, join tours of the Bohemian National Cemetery, or visit a photo exhibition of Baroque churches from the Broumov region. On Saturday, September 26, the town will come alive with Beerfest Berwyn, featuring fresh potato pancakes, beer, and a friendly neighborhood atmosphere. Throughout the entire week, stop by Café Prague for a special promo – traditional Czech specialties with 10 % off the Czech Heritage Week menu, plus a refreshing Pilsner on tap for just $5. The week will culminate on Sunday, September 27, with the traditional St. Wenceslas Mass in Brookfield, where we will come together to commemorate the legacy of the patron saint of the Czech lands and Czech statehood.

Czech Heritage Week is an open invitation to all generations of compatriots and friends of Czech culture to come together and experience the inspiring atmosphere of our traditions in Chicago once again.

Saturday and Sunday September 19–20

United Moravian Societies 87th Moravian Day

Petr Popelka & Hilary Hahn in Concert

Czech That Film – Invincibles / Neporazitelní

Monday September 21

Behind the Story of Antonin Dvořák in America

Czech That Film – Tales from the Magic Garden / Pohádky po babičce

Tuesday September 22

Open House: Bohemian National Cemetery

Rights, the Rule of Law, and Constitutional Traditions in the Czech Republic and the United States

Wednesday September 23

Opening of the Photo Exhibition TEMPUS FUGIT II