The Polish Festival is one of Portland’s best annual cultural events (and one of my favorites), and it takes place this weekend: Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27th.
Below the masthead on the festival website are the words: the best kept secret of Portland, Oregon. Well, the secret is out. According to the press release, last year over 12,000 people attended, making it the largest Polish festival in the Western United States. To meet demand this year, for the 15th annual event, organizers have ordered over 25,000 pierogies and 6000 bottles of Polish beer. And of course there will be plenty of kielbasa, gołąbki (cabbage rolls), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and other delectable options available to festival goers.
The Polish Festival also features non-stop music and dance performances, a street dance, and polka contests too.
Krakow Cafe & Pub (3990 N. Interstate ), one block north, is joining the fun this year, with live music on the sidewalks between noon and 9pm, featuring Russian folk singer Natalie Hougin, jazz duo Barry Glick and Jim Putnam, folk singer Carley Baer and Dale Miller.
Heather and I both attended last year and wrote up reviews:
- Pierogi ruskie, Gołąbki, and My Favorite: Placki Ziemniaczane
- Polish Festival: No longer the best kept secret in Portland, Oregon
The festival is not a secret anymore – it’s one of the premier fall festivals in the Portland area.
Entrance to the Polish Festival is free. It takes place Saturday, September 26th, from 11am to 10pm and Sunday the 27th, noon to 6pm, and is held on North Failing street, east side of Interstate, between the St. Stanislaus Church and the Polish Library (3900 N. Interstate). To get there take the 4 to Mississippi and Failing and then take the Failing Street Pedestrian Bridge across the freeway and you are there. Or take the Yellow Line MAX to the Overlook Stop – Failing street is two blocks north up Interstate. Check out the festival website for more information.
6,000 beers for 12,000 people doesn’t sound like very good odds to me.
Diane – If it’s like the last few years there will also be a few taps too, and wine. And a large proportion of the attendees are too young to drink and/or not interested in drinking . . . so I *hope* it’s enough 😉
I was thinking the same thing. Better get there early. I’d like a few Black Bosses before I polka.
Oh, now I think I’m really going to cry, I was so sick this weekend but I kept reassuring myself there was nothing I would miss.