The Detroit area is a melting pot of many different cultures, including those from Poland. Polish people make up the second largest ethnic group in Michigan and to honor this Polish heritage, the American Polish Century Club of Sterling Heights is hosting the 2019 American Polish Festival and Craft show this weekend.
The festival will be held at the Century Banquet Center in Sterling Heights and starts Friday July 12, 2019 at 4pm and runs through Sunday. Club Member Tom Lisieski stopped by Live in the D to tell us all about it and he brought with him a typical polish Sunday dinner: potato pancakes, city chickens, pierogis, kielbasa, plus new items like polish sushi and polish egg roll, all items you can find at the festival.
Lisieski says the festival’s goal is to bring together your friends, your family and food. There will be great polka bands, great novelty dance, activities for kids and food galore. Over 450 pounds of potatoes and 5,000 pounds of City Chicken will be made for the festival to go along with the 10,000 pierogis from Srodek’s that will be featured. Additionally there will be over a thousand pounds of polish cabbage and a thousand pounds of fresh and smoked kielbasa. Food will be made family style and a la carte.
The club will also celebrate Polish traditions through dance, clothing and music. Dance ensemble director Colleen Bonkowski says there will be lots of traditional dances happening with local children dressed up in traditional polish clothes.
Polka musicians will also be featured including local bands The New Brass Express and The Polish Muslims.
The festival ends Sunday with a Polish mass.
For more information visit American Polish Club Facebook page and American Polish Club website