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The SECOND PHASE of the project is to raise $50,000 for a state-of-the-art audio/video system to show family movies (anytime, day or night), book theatrical events and other performances or personal or business activities. This was in the original project budget, but was removed due to the increased cost of the footings due to the poor soil conditions at the city chosen site.

As of April 1, 2026, 40% of that effort has been completed. Thanks to these new donations:

• $10,000 – Den and Sandy Gardner (Gardner & Gardner Communications)
• $5,000 – Simon and Sarah Kallal
• $5,000 – Jerry and Mary Walerius

Please consider making a donation for this effort. We would like to have this system in place in the spring of 2027.

​A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt foundation – The Forward New Prague Foundation (EIN # 92-1785025) – is handling donations. Use the Donate page to make a donation, or you can mail your donations to this address:

Den Gardner, Chair
Forward NP Foundation
305 Columbus Ave. South
New Prague, MN, 56071

​ ​The Forward New Prague Foundation and its POPS Advisory Committee is excited that construction continues this spring after the foundation was installed last fall. The goal is to have the facility completed this fall, with the grand opening set for spring of 2027.

Construction of the above-ground structure will likely begin in May. If work continues at a “normal” pace, a possibility exists that the building will be completed around Labor Day. NO PROMISES, but if work proceeds at a reasonable pace, this is a likely possibility.

The summer concert series for this year will again be at Memorial Park. There will be NO summer concerts at POPS in 2026. The summer concert series will be at POPS starting in 2027, if all goes according to plan.

A tremendous shout-out to Eddie and his team at Shimota Project Management. His time (donated to the project as his contribution) has gone way above and beyond anything any of us had expected.

March 20, 2026 – NEW PRAGUE, MN – The Praha Outdoor Performance Stage (POPS) Advisory Committee of the Forward New Prague Foundation announces POPS Gala III, a celebration for the community. The event, entitled “It’s Time!”…to Celebrate, will be held Sunday, June 14, 3-7 p.m., at The Broz Event Venue in downtown New Prague.

Live music from Eddie Shimota and Jaws, plus Little Chicago, will perform. Refreshments and food will be available for purchase throughout the afternoon and early evening. The Broz Event Venue is donating the space for the event, and hundreds are expected to attend this celebration of nearly four years of work by the committee to build an outdoor performance facility for New Prague.

“We continue to thank the hundreds of individuals, families, businesses, service organizations and others who have contributed financially and other ways to POPS,” Den Gardner, chair of the committee and the Forward New Prague Foundation, said. “The outpouring of time, talent and treasure by so many people is what makes New Prague special. We continue to be awed by what those interested in the arts have accomplished.”

The event is being co-sponsored by the POPS Advisory Committee of the Forward New Prague Foundation and Darcey and Jay Schoenebeck.

More details on the celebration will become available in April and May. For more information, contact Den at 612/325-3981. Email: dengardner@gandgcomm.com.

Music at Memorial, the free summer music concert series in New Prague, is set for its fifth year of performances, beginning on June 17. There are eight concerts this year, all on Wednesday nights.

The concert series is produced by the New Prague Arts Foundation. The foundation took ownership of the summer series when the New Prague Area Arts Council chose not to do it in 2025.

With the delays in constructing the POPS facility, this summer’s concerts will, again, be held in Memorial Park.

“Thanks to the graciousness of the city, we were able to book the shelter area by the two ball fields at Memorial Park by the playground,” Den Gardner, president of the New Prague Arts Foundation and organizer of this event, said. “We chose Wednesday nights so we wouldn’t interfere with youth baseball on Thursday nights. Community concert series in the summer are common for Wednesdays or Thursdays. We were lucky the city was able to work with us to get Wednesdays booked.”

Band Schedule (Wednesday nights):

• June 17 –Eddie Shimota Band (and possibly one or two members of the local band Jaws). Always a popular band. Genre: Polka/Country
• June 24 –Solid Gold. Classic Rock (I have talked to Wayne L and ALL of their music at this will be recognizable classic rock songs.
• July 1 – David K Tribute Shows — NEW band for us this year. They to tribute covers of such various artists as: Roy Orbison/Elton/John/Buddy Holly/The Monkees, etc. Very entertaining music and show.
• July 8 – Wreckless. NEW band for us this year. This local band plays rock/pop/country music covers, new and old. Very popular in the area. Headed by Cary Havlicek of NP Music Institute. He’s been a great supporter of POPS and our foundation.
• July 15 – Holy Rocka Rollaz – NEW band for us this year. This band plays classics exclusively from the 1950s – Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, etc.
• July 22 — Jazz on the Prairie – Eden Prairie’s community big band. Had for first time last year. GREAT music from the big band era of the ‘40s.
• July 29 — Smisek Brothers –
• August 5 — Little Chicago – The summer concert series ends with local band Little Chicago – playing rock/pop horn band songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Sponsors (so far – contact Den for information on sponsoring a concert):

• Brusseau Investments/Diversified Wealth Management
• Dr. Mike and Kay Wilcox
• Bruzek Funeral Home
• Gardner & Gardner Communications
• Bishop Investments of TrueJourney
• Minnwest Bank

All concerts are free to the public from 6:30 p.m. to approximately 8 p.m.

New this year: we are adding a half-hour “pre-show” with local groups performing prior to the featured band. The pre-show group will perform from 6 p.m. to about 6:30 p.m.

The general contractor, Shimota Project Management, has announced that excavation has started on the POPS facility. The foundation piers have been drilled into the ground and the footings poured. The concrete for the stage will be poured in spring with walls coming shortly theareafter.

The Forward New Prague Foundation and its POPS Advisory Committee is excited that construction is finally underway.  With the later than expected start, the Summer Music Series will not be held as the new facility, as we had hoped.  With little time left in the 2025 construction season, the project will not be completed until the fall of 2026.