Marionettes at the Czech Independence Street Festival

As a part of the Czech Independence Day Celebrations, commemorating founding of the Independent Czechoslovak State in October 1918, the Czech Center New York and Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York held a Czech Street Festival last Saturday afternoon. The festival was held on East 83rd Street between Madison and Park Avenues, and featured an afternoon full of Czech music, handicrafts, free raffle and culinary specialties - dishes prepared by chefs of the area's most choice Czech restaurants, including Bohemian Hall and Zlata Praha (Golden Prague). I tried some roast pork, sauerkraut and dumplings (a national dish) for lunch. Vendors had a splendid selection of collectibles, glass, ceramics, wooden and fabric toys for children, Czech music, books and marionettes. I took some photos of the marionettes for sale at the fair (pictured above). There were also performances by Cechomor, Limbora Slovak Folk Ensemble, local Sokol groups, Teatr Novogo Fronta, and Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre.