Saturday, October 3, 2026

Czech and Slovak Festival - we are looking for volunteers to help plan this event
Orinda Community Center, Orinda

---> Czech out this year's arrangement of the festival as we are changing things a bit!

Thu - Sun, October 15 - 17, 2026

Czech That Film! Movie Festival

10/15 and 10/16 in Orinda Movie Theater

10/17 in Redwood City, location pending

Sunday, October 25, 2026

6th Annual Picnic and Sokolský běh republiky

Registration is open!

Seal Point Park, Ryder Picnic Area, San Mateo

Sunday, December 6, 2026

Annual Hands-On Christmas Cookie Baking Workshops

Orinda Community Center, sign-ups coming in November newsletter

We are looking forward to seeing you at our events in 2026.

We are a volunteer run organization and we are seeking volunteers to help us plan and/or run our events. If you are interested or have ideas for new events please let us know! sokolsfevents@gmail.com

All event times listed are in Pacific Time

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Czech and Slovak Festival
Orinda Community Center, Orinda

SAVE THE DATE!

We are looking for volunteers to help us staff this event. Contact

sokolsfevents@gmail.com

The stage this year as well as the tables will be set in the courtyard between the community center and the library!

More information coming soon!

What to look forward to:

La Trattoria Bohemia will be serving lunch

Czech beers Primator and Lev Lion

Moravian wines

Karička dancing group from San Diego

Taneční Studio Light from Prague

Martina's famous baked goodies from Martina's Bohemian Bakery

Lenka Glassner's art

Petra's gingerbread cookie decorating presentation

Thurs. October 15 - Sun. October 17, 2026

Czech That Film! Movie Festival

Location and time details coming soon!

10/15 in Orinda Movie Theater -- "Franz"

10/16 in Orinda Movie Theater -- "Sbormistr" - "Broken voices"

10/17 in Redwood City -- "Šampion" - "The Last Routine"

10/17 in Redwood City -- family movie "Prázdniny s Broučkem!"

ADDED THIS YEAR!

We will be showing a Czech family movie in the afternoon!!

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Annual Picnic and Sokolský běh republiky

Ryder Park, San Mateo

V zdravém těle zdravý duch!

Our 6th annual Picnic and Sokolský Běh Republiky is here!

It is happening on Sunday 25, October 2026 at Seal Point Park, Ryder Park Picnic Area;

San Mateo, CA.

There are 3 categories for the run:

children under 10 (born 2017 and later)

children under 14 (born 2012 - 2016)

adults (all born before 2012)

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

The registration fee for an adult remains at $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)

Do not wait and register now!

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

Everyone is welcome to join us for the picnic and the run!

Usually our Sokol SF members receive a complimentary T-shirt. We have some sad news, the warehouse in Zlin, where the T-shirts were stored burned down in July and

Czech Sokol lost all T-Shirts for this year's run!



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.

Program dne

8:30 - 8:55am -- Výdej čísel dětského běhu v Ryder's Park Picnic Area

8:30 - 10:15am -- Výdej čísel hlavního běhu v Ryder's Park Picnic Area

9:00am -- Odchod do Seal Point Park na vrcholek kopce a skupinová rozcvička

9:10am -- Start dětského běhu 2017 a mladší

9:30am -- Start dětského běhu 2012 - 2016

10:00am -- Návrat do Ryder's Park Picnic Area

10:30am -- Start hlavního běhu

12:00pm -- Vyhlášení výsledků SBR

Následuje piknik

Program of the day

8:30- 8:55am -- Children's check in at Ryder's Park Picnic Area

8:30 - 10:15am -- Adults check in at Ryder's Park Picnic Area

9:00am -- Children and fans hike up to Seal Point Park and a group warm up

9:10am -- Start of children's run 2017 and younger

9:30am -- Start of children's run 2012 - 2016

10:00am -- Return back to Ryder's Park Picnic Area

10:30am -- Start of the Adult run

12:00pm -- Awards for the fastest runners

Picnic will follow

We are looking forward to seeing you at the picnic and at the starting line!

Mark your calendars and start training! 

More information at "Registration is now open!"

Renew your Sokol San Francisco

Membership Early!

2027 membership dues are $45 and are due by December 31, 2026.

Pay by 11/30/2026 and you will be entered into a drawing for $10 Starbucks gift card!

Five lucky winner will be drawn!

Drawing will be held at our Annual Meeting in January.

The date and location of our Annual meeting are yet to be determined.

Our organization is run fully by volunteers with their families, jobs, and lives.

Make it easier for them and renew on time!

Think about volunteering, too!

Thank you.

We now accept PayPal & Venmo in addition to a mailed check.

Please follow these steps to renew easily:

A) renew online via PayPal or Venmo.

Go to your PayPal or Venmo account.

• Send your payment to recipient on Paypal: sokolsfpay@gmail.com
• Send your payment to recipient on Venmo: @Sokol-SF
• Remember to include the full names of all members you are paying for in the message field.
• If your address, phone number, and/or email have changed, please add that information as well.

B) renew via mail

using the paper renewal form and a check made out to "Sokol SF".

Download, print, fill out the paper renewal form and mail form, and check to:

Sokol SF, P.O. Box 5252, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

BENEFITS OF SOKOL SF MEMBERSHIP:

• Event Discounts
• Preferred seating at events
• Pre-registration at popular events e.g. our Christmas caroling event and winery visits
• Financial stipend to attend American &/or CZ Slets & Festivals
• Monthly newsletter
• Networking opportunities
• Access to educational & cultural programs
• Creating Czech connections
• Opportunities to practice Czech language skills
• Opportunity to earn a scholarship for the Czech School of California tuition
• Financial support toward entry fees to select events
• Lunch at our Annual Meeting
• ....and more

If you have membership questions, please email Jara at sokolsf@gmail.com

Recap of Past Events

Saturday, August 22, 2026 - all day

Rock Point Beach Picnic followed by tour and private wine tasting at Korbel Winery

Czech News & Announcements

PolkaFest - Vinobrani 2026

A Celebration of Czech, Moravian and Slovak Culture and Folklore

LaMargarita Ranch & Vineyard in Santa Margarita, California on Sunday September 6, 2026

Highlights from Summer Language and Culture Programs in Czech Republic

'Zmrzlina' and seven grammar cases:

Inside Prague's Summer School of Czech

Sokol SF members regularly attend the Summer School of Slovanic Studies (LŠSS) and are often chosen for scholarships by the Czech Embassy in Los Angeles.

This summer we had two Sokol SF members attend - one in Prague and one in Brno - and two summers ago one of our members, and and now Board member, attended the program in Poděbrady.

We share application details about all these programs in our newsletter in January and February and this information is also available on the Czech Embassy in Los Angeles website.

Currently published info from summer 2026

Miles attended the LŠSS program in Prague this summer. His interview and other students' experience was published in an article in Radio Prague International.

During the summer school, we not only learn the language, we also learn about Czech culture, Czech history and even Czech politics. Then, in the afternoons, we go on trips, visit galleries or take part in workshops.



lssspraha on instagram

Nanci attended the LŠSS program in Brno this summer and shares her experience in her article.

Almost 100 students from over 35 countries gathered in Brno attending daily classes, afternoon lectures, evening films and afternoon and weekend excursions. In addition to intense grammar and vocabulary lessons, students learned traditional folk songs, and learned how to dance the polka.





Ann Marie attended the summer program in Poděbrady in 2024.

A total of 69 participants, ages 18 to 75, traveled to Poděbrady from as far away as South and North America, from Scandinavia and the Balkans. The Czech Ministry of Education awarded 60 scholarships for all instruction, books and materials, accommodations and food, excursions, sightseeing, and a stipend towards travel costs.



San Francisco Film Preserve invites you to a screening of a Czech Film

Údolí včel - Valley of the Bees

Friday September 25, 2026 @ 3 PM

The Roxie Theater
117 16th Street at Valencia
in San Francisco’s historic Mission District

SFFP is delighted to be launching a new film festival celebrating restoration and rediscovery at the Roxie Theater, San Francisco in September.

Re:Vision will run from September 24-27.

One program is dedicated to Czech cinema — we will screen František Vláčil's masterpiece Údolí včel with the avant-garde short Atom věčnosti.

Czech Impressions

October 23, 2026 @ 6:30 pm

First Unitarian Universalist Church, Stockton, CA

2737 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95204

Do not miss this opportunity to enjoy Czech and Slovak classical music!

Do you like jazz?

Do not miss this amazing opportunity

Black Cat Club in San Francisco 
November 20, 21, and 22, 2026

Daniel Bulatkin a Miro Herák

se chystají na turné po USA. V rámci turné vystoupí také v termínu 20., 21. a 22. listopadu v prestižním klubu Black Cat v San Franciscu. Spolu s Danielem a Mirem vystoupí i špičkový saxofonista z LA David Binney a představitelé mladé generace amerického jazzu – Mikailo Kasha na kontrabas a Miles Turk na bicí nástroje.

Nizozemský vibrafonista československého původu Miro Herak spojil síly s předním českým klavíristou Danielem Bulatkinem v projektu, který čeří vody napříč Evropou i mimo ni. Herak | Bulatkin "Elysium" se pohybuje na evropské jazzové scéně již zhruba 4 roky, během kterých měli tu čest reprezentovat český jazz v rámci Roku české hudby a vystoupit na velkých festivalech po celém světě, m.j. Jarasum Jazz Festival v Jižní Korei, JZ Festival v Číně, Taichung Jazz Festival na Tchaj-vanu, Tbilisi Jazz Festival v Grúzii a mnoho dalších.

S jejich hudbou, která propojuje slovanský a romský folklór s jazzem, balkánskými rytmy a impresionistickou klasickou hudbou, rovněž měli tu čest spolupracovat se světovou jazzovou elitou jako např. saxofonisté Seamus Blake a Will Vinson. Jejich skladba "The Simple Things" vyhrála cenu OSA za Nejlepší českou jazzovou skladbu roku 2024.

Note: For our subscribers who may not be able to read the Czech language, we recommend using the online translator developed by researchers at Charles University called CUBBIT: www.lindat.cz/cubbit