My hometown of West, Texas celebrated its first WestFest—a Labor Day weekend event that honors the town’s Czech heritage—in 1976. Though West has always been well-known regionally as the “kolache stop” on Interstate 35 between Waco and Dallas, WestFest really put the town of less than 3000 on the map. The event draws thousands of people annually, who come from all over the country to dance the polka, listen to music, drink beer and, of course, eat sausage and other goodies. The festival even helped launch the career of “nuclear polka” band Brave Combo, who performs there every year.
Unlike my sisters, who rarely miss this festival, I’ve only been a few times, regrettably. Seems like I was always busy with school, work, whatever.
Since I began this blog, I’ve grown closer to my roots. Maybe that’s what happens when you get older.
I feel sad to have missed so many WestFests as all my nieces and nephews were growing up (one of my nephews proposed marriage to his girlfriend on stage in front of the entire town). Now the third generation is part of the festivities (she said yes).
I have mostly fond memories of the few times I attended (keep reading). When family and friends flooded into town, many crashed at my parents’ house, and some in the yard. All the floor space in the den was taken. My mother’s view was the more, the merrier. Sister Krisann opined that a stranger could have walked into the house announcing he was a “friend” of ours, and mom would’ve let him stay. I’m not sure how dad felt about this annual melee, but he never said much as long as he could maneuver his recliner and make his way to the refrigerator.
I attended the 1978 WestFest after coming home from spending a summer in Spain. My parents had been keeping my dogs, and I was eager to see them, so I drove straight to West from the Austin airport. Because meals at the Spanish monastery where I stayed had been so bad, I had decided it was as good a time as any to finally turn vegetarian. When I arrived at my parents’ house, WestFest was in full swing. Still suffering jet lag, I chilled at the house for a while. Not knowing my dietary decision, Mom brought me a barbeque sandwich from one of the food trucks. It was not just any barbeque—it was Bud Conner’s barbeque. I didn’t have the heart to admit I no longer ate meat. And since Bud Connor was a lifelong friend of my parents, and since Bud pierced my ears when I was in high school, and since Bud made the best barbeque in Central Texas, I ate that sloppy, juicy sandwich. Though delectable, it was, my friends, the last time I ate meat. I guess you could say I went out with a bang, or a brisket.
Another time my niece brought several of her friends from Houston. My mother was on the festival planning committee at the time and in charge of scheduling people to pour beer at the beer tent. She always recruited family members, who were more than willing to work the kegs because we received free beer tickets, which could also be used for single-glass plastic bottles of wine. That year we had more tickets than we could use, so we shared. One of my niece’s friends used his tickets for free wine. Unnecessary side note: Labor Day in West is so hot, Lucifer would be cool. Many things are suitable for hot weather, like cold beer. And many things aren’t, like warm wine. Evidently, this young man didn’t get the memo. He drank red wine straight out of those bottles. Then he decided it would be fun to punch a hole in the bottom of the bottle and just let the wine run down his throat. I don’t know why he didn’t just take the cap off and shot-gun. Sister Karen, the great surrogate mom to all her daughter’s friends, held his head while he puked. Last I heard, he had moved to Alaska.
Another time, I ran into a guy I knew from Austin. I had on new Doc Marten’s. I went over to say hi, and he told me I was wearing the ugliest shoes he’d ever seen. He was drunk and had a gopher’s eye for fashion. I scratched him off my friend list. I’m a Virgo. We forgive, but we don’t forget.
My sisters have told me many the other stories, keeping me abreast of WestFest happenings, and most will remain undisclosed. I’m just happy they are all alive and well.
After promising to attend for the last few years and never doing so, I’ll make good this year. I’m looking forward to it. It’s been years since I’ve seen Ray Wylie Hubbard or Brave Combo, not to mention the Jodie Mikula Orchestra, CZ Melody Masters, Vaneks from West, and the Ennis Czech Boys. And this will be the first time I’ll hear Sunny Saucedo in person, whom I’ve been listening to on YouTube. Rarely am I in Texas during the heart of the summer, so I know it will be a struggle dealing with the heat. But a sunhat and ice-cold beer should help.
To you brave folks who live in Texas year-round, any other suggestions for keeping cool?

 

 

https://westfest.com/