The 40th annual International Houby Festival kicks off Friday, Oct. 3, and wraps up Sunday, Oct. 5, hosted by the Cicero Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Berwyn Main Street.

This weekend’s event includes vendors for shopping, carnivals, food booths, the International Houby Queen Pageant and a parade down Cermak Road through Cicero and Berwyn.

Houby Festival commemorates the Czechoslovakian heritage in the neighboring communities. “Houby” is the Czech word for mushroom, and the annual fall festival marks the Czech tradition of mushroom hunting at this time of year.

Houby Fest will be hosted between East and Ridgeland avenues, on the south side of Cermak Road. The beer garden and main stage are at Gunderson Avenue. Parking is available behind the buildings, a half-block north of Cermak Road in the area called the Vacin Fairway.

Pageant
The pageant is set for Friday, Oct. 3, at Skylight West Banquets, 7117 W. Ogden Ave., Berwyn. Winners of the 40th annual International Houby Pageant will receive a scholarship and/or prizes donated by local businesses.

Parade
The International Houby Festival Parade will be Sunday, Oct. 5.  The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. at 56th Court and Cermak Road in Cicero, heading west, ending at Riverside Drive in Berwyn.

Food and shopping
An array of food offerings including potato pancakes made by Klas restaurant, mushroom tamales from Tamale Hut and Czech Pilsner and Miller beers. The International Houby Festival vendors will open shop on Cermak Road in Cicero and Berwyn from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5.

Entertainment
FRIDAY Folk dancing of the Moravian Dancers, belly dancers, Carnival rides

SATURDAY Noon until 10 p.m.
Noon - 1 p.m.     Cooking Demo by Mary              McMahon
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.    We Drive Yeah!
2:30 to 3 p.m.    Break
3 to 4 p.m.    Congress Brass Ensemble
4 to 5 p.m.    Patti Elvis
5 to 7 p.m.    Smith McMahon
7 to 8 p.m.    Stereotypes
8 to 10 p.m.    Broken Hip

SUNDAY Starts after parade
1 to 3 p.m.    Bohemian-American             Concertina
3 to 3:15 p.m.    United Moravian Dancers
3:30 to 4 p.m.    Belly Dancing
4 to 5 p.m.    Czech American Musicians             Club
5 to 6 p.m.    Content Under Pressure
6 to 7 p.m.    Headspins
7 to 8 p.m.    Midlife Crisis
8 to 10 p.m.    TBD