Flatonia's Czhilispiel offers food & fun for all

Czhilispiel celebrates Czech heritage and good times with food and music. The 35th annual festival will be held Friday through Saturday in downtown Flatonia.

The word "Czhili" is for the famous cook-offs and "spiel" is German for fun.

Czhilispiel has been keeping the tradition of quality entertainment and drawing crowds over 5,000.

The outstanding line-up of musicians will get your feet tapping. Broke 60 opens the festival on Friday night, followed by Brandon Rhyder.

Saturday brings the Flatonia Lions Club scholarship pie auction and the jalapeño eating contest. The Red Ravens, Czechaholics, Southbound 955 and Todd Fritsch with Roger Creager provides the music on Saturday.

The grand parade starts Sunday's entertainment with fire trucks and plenty of festival royalty. Don't miss the domino tournament after the parade.

Texas and the Gratefull Geezer will bring the three-day festival to a close.

Throughout the weekend Czhilispiel features arts and crafts booths, food, a petting zoo and pony rides, car and truck show, golf tournament, Bobby Cordell the magical artist, comedy juggler Mark Riggs accompanied by an escape artist, Kenny's Funland Carnival with loads of great rides and mechanical bull riding. For more information call the Flatonia Chamber of Commerce at 361-865-3920, or the Web site at www.flatoniachamber.com and click on the dancing "czhili pepper" for more information.