Philadelphia Polish American Festival
polish american family festival country fair celebration polish american unity pride among largest oldest festival kind united state held year acre km ground national shrine lady czestochowa often referred “american czestochowa doylestown pa northern suburb philadelphia pa fiveday event take place first two weekend september including labor day festival dedicated promoting greater awareness understanding appreciation polish heritage culture food tradition strictly nonprofit event proceeds donated shrine serf major cultural spiritual center polish american polonia festival planned staffed entirely volunteer work festival maintain festival ground facility throughout year many volunteer nd rd generation representative family serve event dr raymond virginia chase father michael zembruski founder shrine founder organizer first festival recognized lack local event dedicated polishamericans despite significant population polishamericans philadelphia upstate pennsylvania midatlantic region ‘original’ festival informal picnic organized volunteer family friend took place year shrine’s dedication included professional art exhibit polish artist graced wall historic buck county barn located shrine ground helicopter aviation pioneer national medal technology recipient frank piasecki donated helicopter give ride festival guest success first year inspired founder expand formal annual event next year became harbinger revival polish ethnic identity soon occur early original festival simply called annual festival country fair second year renamed polish festival country fair moved upper ground new shrine basilica built several year later festival date expanded include second weekend september accommodate everincreasing crowd eventually festival name changed polishamerican festival festival finally renamed polishamerican family festival country fair one notable visitor year president ronald reagan enjoyed placki potato pancake festival ground festival run uninterrupted every year since inception fall polish communism initiated large increase immigration polish national united state continues day many new immigrant settled pennsylvania area port richmond neighborhood philadelphia brooklyn area new york city known greenpoint many polish immigrant also immigrated new jersey connecticut new wave immigration served complement supplement rank polishamericans previous generation result convergence philadelphia polish festival experienced significant growth currently draw average approximately people per year visitor attending event grown diversity festival visitor people wide spectrum background location visit festival u canada attend majority festival visitor coming pennsylvania new jersey middle atlantic state festival evolved expanded formally organized three distinct type event entertainment food demonstration exhibit music dance important aspect polish culture festival day variety musical act dance troupe perform main stage area music includes wide variety popular band performing polishamerican polka music well presentation traditional polish folk genre dancing presentation performed dance troupe versed traditional polish style krakowiak górale highlander conjunction entertainment festival organizer invite notable guest polish heritage guest celebrity polish boxer tomasz adamek served role food also play central role polish culture tradition festival place special emphasis presenting authentic traditional polish food based recipe brought america polish immigrant still preserved polishamerican descendant today festival wide variety polish dish prepared site includes pierogi gołąbki stuffed cabbage roll kielbasa placki potato pancake bigos cabbage meat stew chrusciki pastry babka type coffee cake part mission promote polish cultural awareness festival stage numerous demonstration exhibit educate visitor polish tradition history cultural focus center around replica polish village traditional polish wedding ceremony polskie wesele take place harvest festival dożynki staged maypole dance performed demonstration polish easter egg pisanka decorating conducted demonstration also held depict colorful górale polish highlander tradition series cooking demonstration also held teach art making pierogi kapusta sauerkraut gołąbki stuffed cabbage enhance understanding polish history number reenactment conducted include live demonstration polish warrior th th century also reenactment lifestyle “typical” character – nobility szlachta peasant chłopi – found polish society th century polishlithuanian commonwealth one colorful reenactment demonstration famed polish hussar played prominent role polish military history early th century th century additional military reenactment include polish cavalry parade presentation key military battle polish history also art exhibit display work styka family polish painter included jan two son tadeusz “tade” adam bukowczyk john j history polish american new brunswick usa london uk transaction publisher originally published bloomington indiana indiana university press isbn czekanowska anna polish folk music slavonic heritage polish tradition contemporary trend cambridge study ethnomusicology cambridge cambridge university press davy norman heart europe past poland present new york ny oxford university press isbn gronowicz antoni polish profile land people history westport connecticut lawrence hill co isbn knab sophie hodorowicz th printing polish custom tradition folklore new york ny hippocrene book inc isbn anthology compiled krokpaszkowski jan portrait poland london thames hudson ltd library congress catalog card number lukowski jerzy zawadzki hubert concise history poland cambridge cambridge university press isbn isbn radzilowski john traveller history poland northampton massachusetts interlink book isbn x isbn sienkiewicz henryk fire sword translation original ogniem mieczem new york hippocrene book copernicus society america isbn zamoyski adam polish way thousandyear history pole culture new york ny hippocrene book isbn isbn american czestochowa styka family art exhibit polish music polish dance