“The Bohemian Cooks of St Wenceslaus”

By Rebecca G Carlson

Sun contributor

It’s summertime in Leelanau County and that means Cheese Shanty sandwiches, asparagus soup at The Happy Hour, Bardenhagen strawberries, farm stands loaded with a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, Cherry Festival, boat trips, the beach, swimming, concerts on the lawn at Fountain Point, and ice cream from your favorite shops.

One of the events locals make sure to mark on their calendars each summer are for the Catholic Church Chicken Dinners. Not only were the dinners a source of entertainment with plays, music, dancing, singing, and games, the dinners served as a communal festival to celebrate the summer season, engaging the congregations of the peninsula and the broader community. At one time, there were five different locations throughout the Leelanau Peninsula for the Chicken Dinners hosted by the local Catholic parishes. Sadly, in 2025, there are only two remaining Chicken Dinner events: St. Wenceslaus in Gills Pier on June 22 and Holy Rosary in Cedar on July 27.

The first chicken dinner held at St. Wenceslaus began in 1909, when the actual church was a wooden structure and mass was only held once a month by a traveling priest. That first dinner resembled a large family picnic; all the food was made and donated by the local parishioners. Everyone met on the church lawn for the picnic-style dinner followed by a play. In the first years, the dinner was not necessarily a fundraising event. It was a celebration for the local parishioners to gather after a long, hard winter, reconnecting with friends and neighbors.

In later years, the Chicken Dinner became a wonderful opportunity for fundraising to maintain the church building, grounds, support education and outreach programs, as well as protect the historical significance of the church and cemetery. St. Wenceslaus was listed on the State Register of Historical Sites “as a testament to the rural ethnic community that created [it]…” (Michigan Historical Commission).

From a St. Wenceslaus church flyer dated 1918, it advertises the dinner: “The Bohemian Ladies will serve a bountiful dinner in the old church building from 11.30 – 2 o’clock. Price .35¢. You know what Bohemian-Cooks And Cooking Are. Don’t Miss Them!” A two-act play followed the dinner at 3 p.m., allowing for time between the end of dinner service and the beginning of the play as most of the actors were working both events.

Very little has changed over the 100+ years regarding the St. Wenceslaus Chicken Dinner. According to Jodee Taylor of the Traverse City Record Eagle, the chicken dinner “took advantage of all the bounty of Leelanau County farmers could provide. All the food was donated…chickens…vegetables, pies, kolache (a European pastry) and ice cream…[T]he food was prepared at families’ homes, then carried to the church.” The dinner was followed by a play or musical entertainment, which later evolved into games like bingo, chuck-a-luck, and ball tosses. In 2025, the family-friendly chicken dinner and festival at St. Wenceslaus will host musical group Samba D, there will be games for both adults and children, as well as a yard sale, and a raffle for cash prizes and gift cards.

This year’s dinner will include a grilled half-chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, traditional dressing (stuffing), coleslaw, a dinner roll, cookies, cakes, and pies from Gallagher’s Farms. While the food items are donated locally, the preparation and cooking of the dinner takes place in the church’s commercial kitchen.

According to Deacon Martin Korson, in past years, the dinner required an estimated “2000 pounds of chicken, 55 gallons of green beans, and 60 pounds of homemade coleslaw and stuffing.” The largest number of dinners made for one festival was “1400” in 2019.

For two years during COVID, the dinner was put on hold. As the yearly chicken dinner event returned, the numbers are still climbing back to pre-COVID levels.

As the event is accomplished with 100% volunteer help, it creates another hurdle in staffing the dinner each year. The task of planning, hosting, and “executing this event falls on fewer and fewer people.” Deacon Korson explained that the larger “community pulls together” in successfully hosting and operating this chicken dinner. He credits The Knights of Columbus, along with fellow parishes St. Michael’s and St. Mary, in effectively carrying on this event year after year.

What began as a community-building and fundraising event, in 2025 the Chicken Dinner Festival has turned into a cherished 114-year old tradition for St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church located at 8500 East Kolarik Road, Suttons Bay, Michigan. Drawing locals, seasonal residents, and visitors, the Chicken Dinner can be enjoyed on-site as a picnic or take-out June 22, 2025 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tickets for the dinner can be purchased at St. Wenceslaus the day of the event for $20/person. For more information on the event check out the church website: stwenceslausgp.org.

As there are only two chicken dinners in the Leelanau Peninsula during 2025, do not miss this opportunity to eat a delicious meal, make friends with the locals, and see a piece of history. All visitors will receive a warm welcome from parishioners of St. Wenceslaus, as well as enjoy locally sourced and prepared foods by the hardworking volunteers who work diligently to build and engage the Gills Pier community.