CathedralFest 2023
Celebrating 50 Years
October 6-8

Let the fun begin!

Our annual Saint Cecilia community festival weekend filled with fun, games, music, food, sales, and more on the Cathedral campus!!!

Sign up to help out!

CathedralFest, our annual fall event, raises important revenue for Cathedral while providing an opportunity for parish, school, child care center, and community fellowship. Hundreds of volunteers (from our youngest school students to long-time parishioners, alumni, and friends) create an atmosphere that appeals to all ages. Everyone from the parish, school, child care, neighborhood, and city is welcome to take part and have a great weekend.

The signature big top tent serves as the center of a midway of booths and inflatable fun for the kids, the not-to-be-missed White Elephant sale, the silent auction, cake spin, and so much more. 

CathedralFest takes place on the first full weekend in October, beginning with a Friday Knight party and concluding with the Grand Prize raffle drawing at 6:00 pm Sunday evening. It is also a great "homecoming" event for all of our Cathedral High School and Grade School alums!!

Plan to join us in this weekend of fun. It is the greatest show around!!!!!

Friday Knight Football (Adults Only)

Friday, October 6, 6:30 - 11:00 pm under the big top tent

Annual party to kick off the weekend fun.
Gate opens 6:00 pm
Free will donation
Food - Happy Herbies and Chips $7
Kickoff 7:05 pm Nebraska v. Illinois football game on the big screen
Split the pot drawing at halftime
Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

Pancake Breakfast

Saturday, October 7, 8:30 - 11:00 am

Breakfast under the Big Top Tent!!

Relax after the race or the game or before the Blessing of the Animals and join us for a fabulous hot breakfast under the Big Top Tent! Who needs the Pancake Man? Nobody else has a rotating culinary flapjack apparatus. We have two. Come and see!

8:30 - 11:00 am
Cost: $8.
Sponsored by Saint Cecilia Boy Scouts.
Proceeds benefit the troop.

Color Fun Run

Saturday, October 7, 9:00 am

Untimed 2 mile COLOR fun run/walk around the beautiful Cathedral campus. $15 entry fee. Family fee $40.

8:00 - 8:30 am: Same-day registration
8:30 am: Shirt pick up
9:00 am: Walk/run fun begins!

Click image for info and registration form.

Blessing of the Animals

Saturday, October 7, 10:30 am

Cathedral will host an outdoor celebration of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. Bring your pets (dogs on a leash please) to the Cathedral front steps and join in this delightful event for all creatures great and small.

Music and socializing 10:30 am.
Blessing at 11:00 am.

Come early and bring your pooch with you to the Pancake Breakfast!

Soccer Tournament

Friday through Sunday, October 6-8

Catholic Youth Soccer League teams will compete for the Saint Cecilia Tournament Championship.

Medals for all players.

Great fun for all to watch! Bring a chair.

Beer Garden

Saturday, October 7, 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm and Sunday, October 8, Noon - 6:00 pm

Join us under the big top tent for our annual beer garden!

Good food, drinks, and football on the big screen!!

Chili and Beer!

Saturday, October 7, 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Our annual food contests: CathedralFest Brew-Off and Chili Cook-Off

Sample craft beer from local brewers and vote for your favorite beer. We are adding a Brew category for Hard Seltzers, Ciders, and other Malt Beverages! Bring your beer buddies and have a great time!

Sample and vote on chili made by your fellow parishioners and school parents, then enjoy a full bowl and have a great time! Contact Katie Schill: 402-210-4213.

Judging takes place at 3:00 pm.

Chili: $10 unlimited tasting, one full bowl. Beer: $10 unlimited tasting, two full pours.

Holy Mass

Saturday, October 7, 5:30 pm

As always, the Mass is at the center of what we do at Saint Cecilia Cathedral.

Join us for Holy Mass in our beautiful church!

Then stop in to the big top tent for dinner and the street dance!

Saturday Night Special

Saturday, October 7, 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm

Spaghetti Dinner, Dance, Football on the Big Screen!!
Lots of family fun beginning with a spaghetti dinner (6:30-8:00 pm).
The beer/pop garden will be open with football on the big screen.
And, if that’s not enough, there will be dancing music for the whole family starting at 7:30 pm.
Tickets for Spaghetti Dinner/Street Dance are $15 adults, $8 child, and a maximum of $50 per family (pay at the door).

Festival Fun

Sunday, October 8, Noon to 6:00 pm

All the traditional fun of CathedralFest is here.
Hang out under the Big Tent with food, music, and raffles.
The beer garden will be open with football on the big screen.
Try your hand at many games of skill.
Check out the Sweet Shoppe, book sale, cake spin, wheel of meat, silent auction and white elephant sale.
There will be rides for the kids, games, and lots of other fun! 

Fun for the Kids

All Weekend Long!

Friday:
Soccer Tournament

Saturday:
Soccer Tournament
Color Fun Run
Pancake Breakfast
Blessing of the Animals
Chili Tasting
Spaghetti Dinner
Street Dance

Sunday:
Soccer Tournament
Food & Sweets
Game Booths
Inflatables
Cake Spin

Food Court

Sunday, October 8, Noon to 6:00 pm

Join us under the Big Top Tent for goodies during the Festival!

Italian Sausage
Chili
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Hamburger
Hot Dog
Chili Dog
Homemade French Fries
Cheese Fries
Chili Cheese Fries
Beer, Pop, and Water

Silent Auction

Sunday, October 8, Noon to 6:00 pm

One of the highlights of Sunday's festival is the silent auction held in the Cathedral gym. Many items are displayed for you to shop and bid on. From gift cards to gift baskets, these items are sure to meet your level of shopping pleasure. Be sure to keep a watch on your favorite items to keep your name at the top of the bid list!

Sweet Shoppe

Sunday, October 8, Noon to 6:00 pm

You know you can't resist a sweet from our Sweet Shoppe! So many delicious items to choose from to delight your sweet tooth. Stop by to see all the goodies that were made by our parishioners, school and child care families.

Game Booths

Sunday, October 8, Noon to 6:00 pm

The parking lot is filled with game booths on Sunday giving all the children many ways to have fun and test their skill. Many of these booths are run by our own school students as part of their way to help at this fund raiser.

Wheel o' Meat

Sunday, October 8, Noon to 6:00 pm

Take your chance under the Big Top Tent to win some fabulous meat prizes.
We will also have special drawings throughout the day for other great prizes! Join the fun!!!

White Elephant Sale

Sunday, October 8, Noon to 6:00 pm

One of our biggest attractions is our White Elephant Sale! Located in the cafeteria below the gym, this sale is bursting with donated items that will fit everyone's budget and look great with anyone's decor style.
Bring your cash to purchase household items, sports equipment, toys, tools, kitchen decor and utensils, and so much more!

Raffle

Drawing is Sunday, October 8, 6:00 pm

For $5 you can have a chance at winning the $2,000 1st place cash prize or one of two second prizes of $100 each.
Contact us at the Cathedral Administration Office 402-551-2313 to purchase your tickets or buy at any of the weekend's events on campus.

Thank you to our past CathedralFest chairs:

Founders:   Fr. Paul Peter, Fr. Martin Connley, Fr. Vincent Mainelli
1973   Wayne & Jeri Childers
1974   Wayne & Jeri Childers
1975   Dennis & Cathy Buckley and Tom & Jane Werner
1976   Leo & Rose Batenhorst and Tom & Jane Werner
1977   Martin & Mick Champion
1978   Ed & Mary Sue Riley
1979   Barry & Mary Gerken
1980   Frank & Pam Kucirek
1981   Lee & Norma Schweikert
1982   Leroy & Jean McKamy
1983   James & Patricia Kalamaja
1984   Bill & Janet Lehn
1985   Bill & Melissa Gerken
1986   Randy & Cheryl Heimes
1987   Bob & Mary Gerken
1988   John & Michele Niksick
1989   Dick & Marita Mitchell
1990   Joe & Jo Ann Stoffel
1991   Steve & Pat Schill
1992   Don & Sharen Chatterton
1993   Craig & Cathy Lyons
1994   Lance & Debbie Herold
1995   David & Michaela Doyle
1996   Marc Talkington
1997   Eva & Corkey Grimes
1998   Jim Crampton
1999   Ron Cook
2000   Ron Cook
2001   Michael Markey
2002   Magan Smith
2003   Magan Smith
2004   John & Kim Buckley
2005   Tim & Pam Lammers
2006   Joe & Denise Saniuk
2007   Pat & Amy Campagna
2008   Jim & Tricia Elliston
2009   Jim Smith & Jean Batenhorst-Smith
2010   Jim Smith & Jean Batenhorst-Smith
2011   Jim Smith & Jean Batenhorst-Smith
2012   Jim Smith & Jean Batenhorst-Smith
2013   Mike & Ann Downey
2014   Mike & Ann Downey
2015   Brad Poeckes, Mike Downey, and Jim Smith & Jean Batenhorst-Smith
2016   Jim Smith & Jean Batenhorst-Smith and Mike Downey
2017   Tom & Kelly Hickey, Jim & Tricia Elliston, and Mike & Ann Downey
2018   Jim Smith & Jean Batenhorst-Smith and Jim, Tricia & Dan Elliston
2019   John & Judy Wees
2020   Jim Elliston and Jean Batenhorst-Smith
2021   Brian & Dani Ohlman and Mike & Dawn Beelman
2022   Brian & Dani Ohlman and Mike & Dawn Beelman
2023   Jeff Hoffman