Children's Day Picnic at Lake Chabot

on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 11:30 am to 4 pm

Sokol SF and Czech School of California present our traditional

Den dětí - Children's Day!

Join Sokol San Francisco and the Czech School of California for this fun, active family afternoon.

Join us for an outdoor picnic lunch and bring some food for the grill

and maybe something to share :-)

Czech food to remind us of home is always welcome!

We will have the BBQ ready to grill from 11:30 am.

Children's fun activities such as potato sack race, ring toss, egg and spoon races and more surprises will commence at 2pm.

We are asking Sokol members and friends to be part of our community, and please help out during the picnic and with staffing the children's games.

Thank you!

 We are meeting at Lake Chabot, the Mallard Picnic Area by the lake, with large picnic tables and an extra-large BBQ.

Charcoal, water, and coffee will be provided.

Bring your own picnic lunch and maybe something to share.

Join Our Popular

Online Czech Meal Cooking Class

on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 11 AM - 12:30 PM PT

Join us online on Zoom for another popular three-course Czech meal cooking demonstration.

We will be cooking:

• Potato Soup - Polévka bramboračka - Denisa

• Španělské ptáčky a houskový knedlík - Spanish birds with dumplings - Milena

• Crepes - Palačinky - Lenka

The event is FREE of CHARGE,

However, we ask that you register for the event so we can send you the recipes and Zoom link.

Holidays at Filoli on Saturday, December 14, 2024 @ 7 pm.

Join us for a magical evening visiting Filoli. Every room in the house has different holiday decorations and the gardens twinkle and shine in the dark!

This is always a sold-out event so

Sokol SF members who want to join us for this amazing experience need to respond by November 3, 2024 by paying $5 either

via PayPal (recipient: sokolsfpay@gmail.com)

or Venmo (recipient: @Sokol-SF)

Sokol SF will cover the rest of the entry fee for members only.

Please make a note in your payment "Filoli" and send an email by 12/3 to leabronec@comcast.net that you are coming.

If you have not visited Filoli during the Holidays, do not miss it!

Excerpt from Filoli : "'Tis the season to make special memories, bask in the vibrant landscape, and spend time together. Step into the magic of the House decked in holiday cheer and explore the winter Garden, where inspiration glows.

During the day, bask in the winter sunlight as it brings out the hues of splendid decor, and enchanting Garden displays, and sets the tone for the perfect family photo. Indulge in daytime delights with warm drinks by a firepit or stop for a hearty lunch at the Quail Café.

In the evening, enter a dazzling world of holiday cheer as immersive displays and historic, natural beauty bring magic to returning favorites and new experiences."

Save the date. Return for event registration by Friday 10/18/24

Speaker Series with RENATA BRICKA

Wednesday, Nov 3, 2024 @ 7 p.m. PT

Folk ingenuity at its best is expressed in the picturesque wooden churches of Slovakia. The perfect harmony of the soul with nature still speaks to us today. Whether Protestant, Catholic, Greek Catholic, or Orthodox, Slovak wooden churches are breathtakingly beautiful. They have an exceptional worldwide value, which is why they are part of the UNESCO global human heritage.

Some of them were built 5 centuries ago!
Others were constructed without a single nail! 
There were once over 300 wooden churches in Slovakia.
Sixty remain for us to admire today.

Join Renata Bricka to learn more about this unique part of the inheritance of our ancestors. Renata Helena Bricka, born in Slovakia, moved to the US in 1982. She holds an MA in Fine Arts and Art History and an MA in Russian Language and Literature. Renata's career has been rich. She has worked as a translator at the Oregon State University, designed opera costumes, and taught costume design and art. She also worked as a docent in the Haggin Museum and currently gives many varied presentations on Art History. Renata Bricka received several awards for her costume design and also an award from the Stockton Arts Commission.

 The event is free of charge, but registration is required.

Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes

Briones Reservoir on Saturday November 2, 2024 @ 10 am

Join us for a hike at Briones Reservoir. This will be about 3 miles in an out hike.

No worries! We will not hike the whole 13-mile loop around the lake but should you desire to do that, you can!

This is a moderate hike, the trail is mostly shaded by trees with some beautiful views of the lake.

Dogs can come too :-) Parking is free.

We will meet at the Briones Overlook Staging Area at 10 am.

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Sokol San Francisco and the Czech School of California will again celebrate the Day of the Republic with a picnic and Sokolský Běh this year!

This is our fourth year!

We are looking forward to seeing your friendly faces again at the picnic and at the starting line!

It is so great to see such a strong community!

Mark your calendars and start training! 

For general information about the run and its history, go to: https://www.behrepubliky.cz/

Our picnic and Sokol SF Beh Republiky will take place at the same place as last year:

• Sunday, October 27, 2024

• Seal Point Park, Ryder Park Picnic Area; San Mateo, CA.

There are three categories for the run:

• children under 10 (2014 and younger)

• children under 14 (2010 - 2013)

• and adults

The registration fee for an adult is $10

There is no registration fee for children but they need to be registered to run

(so we have their starting number and medal as well as prizes)

Registration fee for children is sponsored by The Czech School of California

Please register ASAP!

Should you have any difficulties with registration or payment, please contact us at sokolsfevents@gmail.com

You do not need to run to come to the picnic, everyone is welcome;

you can help us cheer on the runners and

spend time with your fellow Czechs and Slovaks.

Sokol San Francisco members who register for the run by September 30, 2023 will receive a complimentary Sokolsky Beh Republiky Under Armour T-shirt from Sokol SF. 

After you complete the registration: 

• please send an email to sokolsfevents@gmail.com 

• with your name and T-shirt size.

• Sizes are limited so register and send in your size early.

• First come, first served.

Due to the logistics of getting the race bibs and medals etc. from the Czech Republic to the USA,

you need to register by September 15th, 2023 to have a guaranteed medal for this year's participants!

You can register after this date all the way to October 24, 2024, but T-shirt (size), bib, and medal will not be guaranteed

After the run, we will have a picnic sponsored by Sokol San Francisco and the Czech School of California. 

Charcoal for the grills, water and coffee will be provided.

Bring your own picnic lunch and maybe something to share.

If you are not a member of Sokol San Francisco you might be able to purchase a T-shirt in the morning during check-in. As the number of T-shirts and sizes is limited due to logistics, it is on a first come, first serve basis as well.

More information can be found under the link

San Francisco

2024 Czech and Slovak Festival!

Celebrating 120 years of Sokol SF

 Saturday, October 12, 2024, 11 am - 4 pm at Orinda Community Center & Park

View and download the entire day’s program (PDF, 10.6.24)

SPECIAL GUESTS:

Zuzana Čaputová, former President of Slovakia
Amb. Jaroslav Olša Jr. Czech Consul General, LA
JuDr. Jiri Krátký, M.A., Sp. Envoy for Expat Affairs
Richard & Barbara Pivnicka, Honorary Consul of CZ & SK
Darlene Gee, Mayor of Orinda

HIGHLIGHTS of the DAY:

Folklore dancers from the United Moravian Societies, Chicago, Illinois
Dance Troupe from Dance Studio Light, Prague, Czech Republic
Music, songs and poetry by the students of the Czech School of CA
Sing along to Czech and Slovak songs with our Sokol SF member band

PERFORMANCES on the OUTDOOR STAGE:

11:00 AM - Welcome and take some time to explore the festival grounds
11:15 AM - Lunch service begins in the Community Center kitchen; dine outside
12:00 PM - Welcome, national anthems, introduction of dignitaries, Dvořák Humoresky
12:30 PM - Dance performance by Chicago’s United Moravian Societies Dance Troupe
1:00 PM - The Czech School’s poetry contest winners recite their winning poems
1:05 PM - Prepare to be dazzled by dancers from Prague’s Dance Studio Light
1:25 PM - Learn Polka from the folk dancers of UMS, Chicago
1:45 PM - Students from the Czech School perform delightful songs
2:00 PM - Sokol SF’s young poetry contest winners recite their winning poetry
2:05 PM - Dance performance by Chicago’s United Moravian Societies Dance Troupe
2:25 PM - Prepare to be dazzled anew by dancers from Prague’s Dance Studio Light
2:45 PM - Performances by the Czech School’s youngest students
3:00 PM - Enjoy and join a dance and movement lesson by Dance Studio Light’s dancers
3:15 PM - Listen and sing along as Sokol SF members play your favorite CZ & SK songs

WORKSHOPS:

12:30 PM - Egg Decorating w/ Daniela Mahoney - $5/person (bring cash)
1:25 PM - Learn to dance the Polka with our Moravian folk dancers - free
2:00 PM - Corn Husk Doll Making w/ Daniela Mahoney - $5/person (bring cash)
3:00 PM - Enjoy and join a dance and movement lesson w/ our Prague dance group - free

PRESENTATIONS in the CLASSROOM:

1:00 PM - Conversation and Q&A with Special Envoy, JuDr. Jiří Krátký
2:00 PM - Meet Ethan Scheiner, Author of “Freedom to Win”
3:00 PM - Meet Lenka Glassner, Local Czech Artist

BRING CASH FOR FOOD, BAKED GOODS, BEER, SPIRITS, CZECH and SLOVAK CRAFTS, ART, BOOKS

PARTICIPANTS:
Please bring cash to purchase your food and drinks

We are looking for volunteers for the event, so consider getting involved in your community

Email your interest in helping to: sokolsfevents@gmail.com

September 8th Hike - More info to come.

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

June Hike and Visit to Filoli Gardens on Saturday, June 15, 2024 @ 10 am

In June we will combine both popular events into one.

You can participate in both or choose just one.

The plan is:

• we will meet at 10 am at the Filoli parking lot

• we will take a hike on this beautiful property

• we will have a picnic lunch together near the Filoli house (we encourage you to bring your food or there is a cafeteria at Filoli)

• 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm we will go visit the beautiful Filoli gardens - Sokol SF will cover the entry fee for Sokol SF members who will register at sokolsfevents@gmail.com by Wednesday May 29.

This is a very popular time to visit Filoli Gardens as everything is abloom, so please register early so we can get your tickets!

Children's Day Picnic at Lake Chabot on June 8, 2024 - more info coming

May Hike in Mt. Diablo Foothills on Saturday, May 4, 2024 @ 11 am

Bring your kids and dogs for a moderate hike in the rolling hills

Dogs are allowed off-leash in this area.

Bring your picnic lunch as we can sit and enjoy our food together about halfway on our hike.

We will meet at the trailhead at the end of Whitecliff Way, Walnut Creek.

Take Hwy 680 to the Rudgear exit and turn left on Whitecliff Way, after you go under the high voltage electrical lines (about 1.5 miles from the 680 exit).

Parking is free and on the street.

If you run late, can't find us, or have any questions you can call 925-683-1853

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes

Baylands Nature Preserve on Sunday, April 21, 2024 @ 11 am

Join us in exploring another part of the Bay Area!

The Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, known officially as the Baylands Nature Preserve, is the largest tract of undisturbed marshland remaining in the San Francisco Bay. Fifteen miles of multi-use trails provide access to a unique mixture of tidal and freshwater habitats.

We will meet at Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center

Meeting place:

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Speaker Series: Presentation by Lubomir Vejrazka

Saturday, April 19, 2024 @ 7 PM

Veterans Memorial Senior Center, Goldstar Rm - 1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City, CA

We have a unique opportunity to welcome Lubomir Vejražka, author of "Nezhojene rany naroda", and listen to stories about political prisoners during the communist years in Czechoslovakia.

The event is free of charge. There is no special registration for this event.

presentation will be in the Czech language.

April 14 Cooking class

Recipes:

1. Sauerkraut Soup

2. Dill Cream Sauce

3. Gluten-Free Bundt Cake

Cooking Demonstration is on our YouTube Channel - SokolSF Media.

Get Together with Prof. Bohumír Janský and Eva Janská, Ph.D.

Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Red Morton Community Center, Rm 8, 1120 Roosevelt Ave., Redwood City, CA

We are delighted to invite our community to meet Bohumír Janský and Eva Janská, who will visit San Francisco on their way to a conference (AAG) in Hawaii.

Do not miss this unique opportunity to meet the highly respected geographer, hydrologist, and explorer Prof. Dr. Bohumir Janský, who discovered the true source of the Amazon River and doc. RNDr. Eva Janská. Ph.D. who is a specialist researcher on Czech Diaspora and migration.

We will hear about some great adventures, learn interesting facts about our 'blue planet', and be awed by people's determination to find their place to call home in the world.

The presentation and discussion will be in Czech and English

The event is free of charge.

Register on EventBrite

This event is hosted and funded by the Czech School of California.

Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes

Golden Gate Park with a visit to T.G. Masaryk's bust - March 9, 2024 @ 11 am

Every year, our unit remembers T.G. Masaryk with a hike and a visit to his bust in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. JOIN US!

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was a Czechoslovak statesman, political activist, and philosopher who served as the first president of Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1935. He is regarded as the founding father of Czechoslovakia.

Let’s meet in the parking lot by Stow Lake Boathouse.

From there we will go visit the Rose Garden and the bust of Tomas G Masaryk.

Masaryk's birthday is March 7 so we will lay some flowers at his bust at the Rose Garden.

Sokol San Francisco donated the bust to Golden Gate Park many years ago, come and hear the story.

We will visit the Observatory Deck of the de Young Museum to get a view of the City; it is free of charge and the views are beautiful!

We will continue by the Japanese Tea Gardens back to Stow Lake, cross the Stow Lake Bridge over to visit the waterfalls, and we will end up back by the boathouse.

It is an easy hike; all flat. Hopefully, the flowers will start blooming and we can welcome spring at this beautiful park.

Meeting place:

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Petr Janda Concert - February 25, 2024 @ 7 pm

Alhambra Irish House - 831 Main Street Redwood City, CA 94063

Petr Janda, a legend of Czech and Slovak rock music, has been performing with his band Olympic for 60 years since the 60's. They regularly sell out large venues back home and even opened for the Rolling Stones in Prague.

This concert is part of a little solo acoustic tour in California and Florida

Join us in this intimate setting at Alhambra Irish House in Redwood City

Doors open at 7 pm, and the show starts at 8 pm.

Tickets are $35 via the button below or at a higher price at the door

Get your tickets now. They are going fast

This is not a Sokol SF event, but we are happy to spread the word!

Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes - Hike at Stanford University

Sunday, February 25 @ 11 am

Hike with us through the Stanford Campus, walking through eucalyptus groves, several specialized gardens, Rodin sculptures, as well as around some of the iconic campus buildings. 

Places to stop for snacks or coffee along the way.

The hike will take about 1.5 hours; it is easy, level hiking in beautiful surroundings.

There are plenty of places to have lunch together (or separately) after our hike at the nearby shopping center.

We will meet at the intersection of Vineyard and Quarry in Palo Alto, in front of the Container Store in the Stanford Shopping Center.

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Speaker Series with Dr. Yara Salman, MD

Wednesday, Jan 24, 2024 @ 7 p.m. PST

Our Annual Sokol SF Member Meeting will take place at DJ Bistro in Concord.

We will try to stream the meeting via Zoom as well.

We will review the past year’s activities, discuss plans for this coming year, elicit input for what members would like to do and how they would like to get involved, review the financial standings & budget and then vote for the slate of officers.

Lunch will be provided by Sokol SF with a no-host bar

If you plan on attending the meeting in person, you must register so the restaurant can prepare for our event.

Registration closes on January 17, 2024

All members are invited to attend!

Sincerely,
Sokol SF Board of Directors

1/20 Annual Meeting

If you are planning on joining via Zoom, do not register!

The agenda and Zoom link will be sent to all members on Friday before the meeting, regardless if you will be attending in person or virtually.

We are looking forward to seeing your faces in person!

THIS EVENT IS FOR SOKOL SF MEMBERS ONLY

This event HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Let's get into the holiday mood with singing Christmas Carols together.

Lea is opening her home for this event. Please register only if you know for sure you will be able to come as the event is limited to 15 people. Please bring any musical instruments!

Refreshments will be provided but please bring some samples of your Christmas cookies to share with the other carolers.

You will receive instructions and directions upon registering.

Christmas Cookie Baking and Decorating Classes

Sunday, December 3, 2023 @ 1:30pm and 3:00pm

Orinda Community Center

28 Orinda Way, Orinda CA

We are once again hosting in-person Czech Christmas Cookie Decorating and Baking Classes.

There will be two one-hour sessions:

• 1:30 p.m. - The first session is suitable for kids, but parents must be there with their child.

• 3:00 p.m. - The second session will be for adults only.

Please make sure you register for the time you want to attend.

Please register every person who will be attending.

• 1:30 pm, Register: here

• 3:00 pm, Register: here

We will decorate linecke cookies, gingerbread cookies, and bake vanilkove rohlicky cookies.

NOTE: We will also be working with nuts.

Everyone will leave with baked goodies and in a festive mood! You will receive the recipes as well.

Wear comfortable clothing that you do not mind getting some flour or sugar on :-)

Please plan your arrival so we can start the class on time! Thank you.

Suggested donation is $10 per person