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Clutier’s Main Street hosts weekend of fun

Clutier Fun Day, annual Plum Festival concert back together for 2022

Bexley Kupka, Briley Wildman, and Finley Street smile while seated in the Bohemian Blonde kiddie parade float on Saturday, August 6 in downtown Clutier. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
A participant in the Clutier Fun Day kiddie parade pictured on August 6. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Kyle Wildman manages to both steer a motorized walker pulling the Bohemian Blonde float (not pictured) and assist a young kiddie parade participant as she throws candy to the crowd during the Clutier Fun Day kiddie parade held last Saturday morning in downtown Clutier. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
PHOTO BY RUBY F. BODEKER
A participant in the Clutier Fun Day kiddie parade pictured on August 6. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
PHOTO BY RUBY F. BODEKER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. BODEKER
Members of the Hora-Machacek American Legion Post 453 ride in the Clutier Fun Day parade on August 6. –Photo by Soren M. Peterson
Grand Marshals of the Clutier Fun Day parade Pauline Sienknecht (left) and Edward Hosek (right) cruise down Clutier’s Main Street during the parade on August 6. –Photo by Soren M. Peterson
Children throw candy from the Z.C.B.J. Lodge 104 Clutier Fun Day parade float on Saturday, August 6. –Photo by Soren M. Peterson
Members of the Clutier Community Fire Dept. take part in the Clutier Fun Day parade on August 6. –Photo by Soren M. Peterson
PHOTO BY RUBY F. BODEKER
Downtown Clutier pictured on Friday, August 5 moments ahead of Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen concert. Becky Livermore (standing, far right) – accordionist and lead vocalist for the band – chats with concertgoers. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Marjorie Kriz (center) enjoys a polka with Rex Raub (left) while Rita Eikamp (right) assists in downtown Clutier on August 5 during the Bohemian Plum Festival Band Concert. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
PHOTO BY RUBY F. BODEKER
Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen perform on August 5 in downtown Clutier. -Photo by Ruby F Bodeker
Several couples get things going on Main Street in downtown Clutier on August 5 during the Bohemian Blonde Plum Festival Band Concert featuring Barefoot Becky. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
John Kopriva and Gary Karkosh pause for a photo while grilling up traditional Bohemian plum brats and burgers on August 5 in downtown Clutier. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Doing Barefoot Becky proud in downtown Clutier on August 5! –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
PHOTO BY RUBY F. BODEKER
A couple polkas on Clutier’s Main Street during the Bohemian Blonde Plum Festival Band Concert featuring Barefoot Becky on Friday, August 5. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
PHOTO BY RUBY F. BODEKER

In a rebranding of the community’s annual Czech Day – an event that hasn’t been held since 2019 – this past Saturday’s Clutier Fun Day kicked off to great success in the wake of the annual Bohemian Plum Festival Band Concert which took place Friday night.

In an effort to “make Clutier great again” in the words of Bohemian Blonde bar and grill owner Steph Kupka, Clutier Fun Day was brought back this year as a joint effort between ZCBJ Lodge 104, the local nonprofit Standing for Clutier, and Bohemian Blonde staff.

Despite the oppressive humidity and air temperatures hovering in the upper 90s by Saturday afternoon, the planned schedule of events began on a nigh note with a kiddie parade down Main Street just after noon, followed by a slew of kids’ games including a pedal tractor pull, goat drop bingo, a money scramble, and more. The Bohemian Blonde Car Show & Cruise took place later in the day followed by the Clutier Fun Day Parade at 6:00 p.m. Festival food vendors included Bohemian Blonde, Tama County Pork Producers, Bobby’s BBQ & Grocery out of Dysart, among others. Just up the street from Clutier’s downtown center, the ZCBJ Antique, Collectible, Craft & Flea Market took place all day in Lodge Hall.

The night prior, Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen lit up Clutier’s Main Street dance floor with their blend of German, Czech & Slovenian style polkas/waltzes much to the pleasure of the more than 100 folks who attended. Attendance at the annual August Bohemian Plum Festival Band Concert was observedly up this year from last year’s concert. While the band played, the Plum Festival & Clutier Betterment committees served up signature Bohemian plum brats in addition to pork loins, hamburgers, and hot dogs alongside delicious Czech bakery favorites including kolaches and rohliky. The Bohemian Blonde – which has truly reinvigorated this small Czech farming community over the last nine months – also served up drinks from their downtown central location.

“We’ve played [Clutier] many, many, many years,” Becky Livermore, accordion in hand, told the crowd Friday night after opening the show with an upbeat polka tune, before later quipping – much to the delight of those in attendance – “Make sure you keep hydrated, drink plenty of beer!”