WILSON — With COVID-19 still an ever present concern, a summertime staple in Ellsworth County, the Wilson After Harvest Czech Festival, will take place this year — albeit in a much scaled down version.

“It will be reduced,” said Susan Kriley, co-chairperson of the Czech Fest committee along with Kate Schiermeyer. “We don’t have all the pieces put together yet, but we do have more than we had last week. We’re trying to do the best we can with a bad situation.”

Kriley said the theme for this 60th edition of the Wilson After Harvest Czech Festival is “2020: The Year It Almost Didn’t Happen.”

She said no matter what, people will always remember this year’s Czech Festival.

The two-day event will take place Friday and Saturday, July 24 and 25.

Kriley said the activities planned for the Czech Fest are not all sponsored or hosted by the Czech Fest committee.

“We do have individual organizations or businesses doing things on their own,” she added.

Kriley said the planning process for the festival these last three months has been difficult due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That’s why this seems kind of last minute, because we’ve been waiting so long and things change daily,” she said. “We had to wait and see where we’d be at towards the middle of June as far as what the possibilities are.”

While the exact times of the activities are still being determined, here is a rundown:

Friday

• The annual meeting of Kansas Czechs Inc. will be at the Midland Railroad Hotel, along with the Czech Princess Pageant and a performance of the Brad Husak Band. All events are open to the public. Social distancing guidelines will be followed.

Saturday

• There will be no Czech Run/Walk this year.

• A reverse Czech Fest Parade will take place. Kriley said there is no official parade route planned, so people are not encouraged to gather for the parade. Instead, during a one hour period, Schiermeyer, the parade announcer, and the announcer from KRSL Radio in Russell, will drive up each street and cross street. Only residential yards will be judged on several categories, not floats or walkers. There will be prizes for the winners. The reverse parade will be filmed and shown on Wilson Communications Channel 57.

• A Poker Run will take place from 1-4 p.m. inside the city limits of Wilson.

• A virtual scavenger hunt for youngsters in sixth grade through 12th grade will take place. More details to be announced.

• The Midland Railroad Hotel is hosting a Corn Hole Tournament at 6 p.m. at the hotel.

• The Wilson American Legion will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight. It is unknown if food will be served.

• Kansas Originals Gallery and Market north of Wilson plans some activities Saturday afternoon. More information to be announced.

The traditional noon Czech meal served at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church Parish Hall has been cancelled. Kriley said there will be several activities that will be prerecorded and ran on the Czech Fest website and Facebook page for weeks after the Czech Fest.

• A Talent Showcase will be conducted. People are invited to send in their three minute clips of their talent in advance of the Czech Fest by a deadline to be announced. Wilson Communications will then combine those video clips together into a talent showcase.

• There will be no Miss Kansas Czech-Slovak Queen Pageant this year as the national pageant in Wilber, Neb. has been canceled.