Throngs celebrate Polish culture at at festival in Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN - For 9-year-old Allina Rivera, performing a variety of Polish dances is something of a family affair.

“My grandmother signed me up for dance lessons,” said the Kirkmere Elementary School fourth-grader.

Allina and her siblings were part of the entertainment during Sunday’s first Polish Day celebration at St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church, 149 Jefferson St. in the city’s Brier Hill section.

Allina, who came with her mother, Colleen Graham, was part of the Krakowiaki(ok) Polish dance group that performed several traditional dances. She also was one of two soloists to sing the Kukuleczka,(ok) a Polish song that is reminiscent of pigeons in a town square.

She was among the performing youngsters who wore red boots, beaded vests and colorful hair ribbons as part of outfits recognized as the national costume of Poland. Allina’s other appearances have included performances at the Canfield Fair and a recent Oktoberfest celebration near Cleveland, her mother said.

Allina attends dance practices weekly and September is her busiest month, with performances each Sunday, Graham added.

Also part of the mix were Allina’s sisters, Cierra, 8, and Brianna, 12, and her 11-year-old brother, Nehemiah.

The four-hour event was to have been at Woodworth Park in Beaver Township, but was moved to the church because of the threat of inclement weather. The move allowed for vodka and Polish beer to be served.

The celebration’s main purposes were to bring more unity to the area’s Polish community and to celebrate Polish customs, traditions and heritage,