Pierogi, paczki and poker to highlight Polish festival

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Polish-American Heritage Days return this weekend, with the main event, Polish Day, Sunday at the Saxon Club, 710 S. Meridian Road. It will include Polish food, dance, art, cultural workshops and live polka music.

This year’s event will also include the first Best Pierogi contest, which will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday.

A panel of celebrity judges will determine the winners from entries in four categories:

Homemade Traditional: Boiled or fried pierogi filled with cheese, cheese and potato, or kapusta (pickled or fresh cabbage) with or without mushrooms, carrots, or other vegetables.

Homemade Non-Traditional: Creativity will be the key in this category.

Commercial: Open to any business using a traditional recipe.

Dessert: Pierogi made as a dessert .

The registration fee is $10 and winners will receive prizes. For information, go to polishyoungstown.com.

Highlights of Polish Day include a polka Mass at 11:30 a.m. and the fifth-annual pierogi-eating contest (registration is $10). Contestants will have 3 minutes to polish off two dozen pierogi. Must be 18 years of age or older to register, and the top winners will receive prizes.

The vendor marketplace will feature S&D Polish Deli of Pittsburgh, which will offer three types of kielbasa, kabanos (both regular and dry), kiszka, and imported foods such as dried mushrooms, syrups, preserves, pickles and Polish chocolates and sweets.

Kiederowski’s Bakery of Lorain will offer their nationally famous paczki and Snoogles, as well as poppy seed rolls, nut rolls, sweet rolls, stara babbas and flaky chrusciki.

Selacz Cakes amd Crispy Waffle Cookies of Cleveland will fill the hall with the aroma of vanilla as Dainius Zalensas makes waffle cookies and explains the process.

Amber Gems, Polish Pottery and More of Buffalo will return with a large selection of rings, necklaces, bracelets and other items in many different styles and colors of amber. The company will also offer a variety of Polish pottery, ranging from tableware to large baking dishes and casseroles, decorative pieces and other items. Colored glassware and salt lamps will also be available.

European Folk Art of Pittsburgh will again have a large display of craft items, Polish dolls, wooden treasures, Christmas ornaments, clothing items and more from owner Witold Wenc’s many trips to Poland.

A Poker and Pierogi card game tournament will take place Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. at the Saxon Club, with poker games and blackjack tables.

A poker tournament will begin at 1 p.m. A second-chance turbo will begin at 6 p.m. if there is enough interest. Snacks, drinks and pierogi will be available and there also will be a basket raffle and other games of chance.