Has anyone ever been to Pierogi Fest in Whiting, IN? Was it any good? It's coming up this weekend, and I'm considering attending, as it sounds like it might be fun.
Anyone interested can find more information at pierogifest.net.
It's what you make of it. I've gone a few times. There are plenty of pierogies, golumpki, kapusta etc. but very little Polish Piwo. The parade on Friday night can be funny. It's a parody of "normal" parades. The crowds on Friday night are huge. You need to arrive really early to get a spot to watch the parade. If you like crowds, and feed off of the energy, and enjoy meeting new people, Friday is your day. If I go, I go on Saturday afternoon. I grab some food, have a beer or two, look around, and head home. I usually run into a few people I know too.
Where at in Indiana? I went this year. It can be a fun time, but there's one problem that never goes away. While there are dozens of vendors selling pierogies, kielbasa, etc., only a few have really good food. The rest are mediocre at best. The places with great food have long lines.
Pierogi Fest is always the last full weekend of July...I like to go and look around and sample Pieogis and other food too.
Whats cool about Pierogi Fest is that besides Polonia, other groups are represented and some have their own version of Pierogis...and you can sample food from other places too....if you're into shish kebabs, there is a Serbian guy who makes his own kebabs with lamb...Drago's kebabs.
And of course there are other Polish foods represented as well such as Globacki (Serbs and Croatians have their Sarma which is similar) and Polish Sausage....and then there is the famous Paczki which is served by Calumet Bakery.
Then there is the entertainment...polka groups including a pop group from Chicago called the Polkaholics have appeared over the years...there are also Dancers from various Polish groups too. And of course the parade complete with the Pierogi Queen and the Babushka Brigade.
As the time gets closer if anyone is interested in going let me know...always up for meeting some fellow Poles!!
There are plenty of Polish people in Lake County, Indiana. Several churches continue to offer Mass in Polish. Gary, Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting were all home to large Polish immigrant communities. These days, Lake County continues to attract Polish immigrants, but certainly not in the numbers of 100 years ago, or of neighboring Illinois.
Whiting maintains a large Slovak community. The Pierogi Fest originated from Whiting's Sloval community.
Didn't know abou that one either. My wife, daughter, son-in-law went to the Polish festival in Millwaukee and were very disappointed. The beer was warm and you only got a 6 oz. cup for $7.00. Entertainment was not in Polish genra.
In September, 2009 we went to a Polish festival in Wyandotte, Michigan at a Polish parish. The music was very good. There was a dance floor. As for food, there was a sit-down dinner in the school basement and snack foods, games of chance for kids, bingo for all. It's a fund-raiser for the parish. The little church is very ornate and was visited by Pope John Paul II during one of his U.S. jaunts.
My wife, daughter, son-in-law went to the Polish festival in Millwaukee and were very disappointed. The beer was warm and you only got a 6 oz. cup for $7.00.
Ya, that one is a rip and its totally boring,,,zzzzzzz
Go to the Polish festival in Chicago , its the best one:)
Pierogi Fest is the best fest around. Great food galore and reasonable prices. Arts/Crafts fair, music, the parade and the best polka band I've ever heard is going to be playing again this year on the main stage: Ted Tomczak's Take Five. They are really entertaining. I've been coming out to the fest for at least the last 10 years and it keeps getting better and better. They even have wonderful, air conditioned portable restrooms. I brag about this fest to everyone. My brother came out for the first time last year and now he's coming out this weekend both days with his friends. Great fest. Just go, you won't regret it.
I have a blast at Pierogi Fest when I can make it. One of my cousins is in the Babushka Brigade, and its a riot to see her decked out for the parade! Good food, beer, family and friends. Missed it this year though. A co-worker (who usually attends yearly) said it was badly crowded this year, and he hopes they consider enlarging the space somehow.
I also have a good time at Taste of Polonia. Good food. Crowds there too, but it didn't seem as bad as Pierogi Fest.
Georgia is not the kind of place one usually thinks of when Polonia is mentioned, but in recent years that state's PolAm community has been steadily growing. Part of hte reason is climate -- Snowbirds (PolAms from northenr cold-belt states) are moving in droves to warmer climes including Georgia, North Carolina, Florida and Arizona. Here is yet another example of the unique cultural role played in Poland and Polonia by the RCC.
5th Annual Pierogi Festival Saturday, August 24th, 2013 from 1pm-8pm
Polish Catholic Apostolate in the Archdiocese of Atlanta St. Margueritte d'Youville Church Parish Hall 85 Gloster Rd Lawrenceville GA 30044
Merged: Oct. 7th was National Pierogi Day in America
National Pierogi Day was celebrated in the USA on 7th October. Pierogi are all-time favourites not only amongst PolAms. They are sometimes referred to as filled dumplings, Polish ravioli or dough pockets, but the term pierogi is becoming increasingly well-known. Polish clubs, restaurants, parishes and community center serve up countless pierogi on that day. To the chagrin of PF's veteran Polonia-bashers the beer and vodka flow, polka music is heard and everybody has a great time.
This one looks like a fun time especially if you enjoy pierogi. The girl in the video making them looks just like Lenka. msn.com/en-us/news/us/pierogi-fest-coming-to-cuyahoga-county-fairgrounds-this-spring/ar-BBZRmjM?ocid=hplocalnews
