Polish-American Festival to Deliver Pierogi, Polka in Doylestown

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown will host its 59th Annual Polish-American Family Festival and Country Fair during the weekends of Aug. 30-Sept. 1 and Sept. 6-7.

The annual event celebrates Polish-American heritage and Polish culture with arts and crafts, delicious foods, entertainment, rides, and more. Admission is $15, which includes free parking, unlimited entrance to midway rides throughout the day (access to extreme rides is available for an additional cost), stage shows, and special events. More information and complete schedules are available on the festival's website. 

Award-winning polka and disco polo bands join Polish folk dance groups from across the United States and Canada for the celebration. More than 25,000 visitors are expected each year during the event, considered the region's largest Polish-American festival. Guests can enjoy various amusement rides and continuous live entertainment on two outdoor stages.

What would a Polish festival be without the food? At this year's celebration, guests can sample dozens of specialties, including smoked and grilled kielbasa, pierogi, potato pancakes (placki), stuffed cabbage rolls (gołąbki), pastries, and Polish beer. Chicken fingers, funnel cake, hot dogs, and water ice will also be available for purchase.

Guests attending the festival can also discover demonstrations by living historians representing the 17th-century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, referred to as the Banner of Jasna Gora, as well as the World War II Living History group. Additionally, there will be daily shows of Polish traditions and a crafters' village.

According to The Patch of Doylestown, the festival began as a way to celebrate the dedication of volunteers, families, and friends who supported the creation of the Shrine. Dr. Raymond Chase and his wife, Virginia, along with Rev. Michael Zembruski, the founder of the Shrine, conceived of an "ethnic celebration combined with an old-fashioned country fair." 

Over the years, the festival has hosted entertainers such as the Polish-American String Band and U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who enjoyed plackis (potato pancakes) during the festival.