Riverhead’s Polish Town Fair is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend, marking a major milestone for one of the region’s longest-running cultural festivals.
The two-day event, taking place Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17, will feature traditional Polish food, music, dance and family-friendly attractions.
“It’s going to be a great weekend. It looks like the weather’s going to be beautiful. It’s free to come in and enjoy, purchase from vendors, enjoy the activity and experience some culture that maybe you haven’t before,” said Stephanie Galka, vice president of the Polish Town Civic Association, which sponsors the fair.
Held rain or shine, the event will feature kielbasa and other traditional cuisine, craft vendors, an opening-day parade and more.
New children’s activities include a petting zoo, pony rides, games, crafts and a fire truck encounter courtesy of the fire department, Galka said. Kids Corner is located at the east corner of Pulaski Street.
While admission to the fair is free, some activities, such as the petting zoo, require a fee, said Shannon Clifford, corresponding secretary for the Polish Civic Association.
The street festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, with an additional Saturday night party under the tent from 6 to 10 p.m. at Polish Town Civic Association headquarters, 300 Lincoln St. Admission to the after-party, featuring Windstar Band in the Civic Beer Garden, is $20.
Although not expected to match pre-pandemic attendance levels, Galka anticipates that this year’s fair will be “getting us back to the groove” with approximately 20,000 participants each day.
According to a history of the event, the fair’s founders never imagined the popularity of their first event in August 1975 until an estimated 20,000 people showed up on a rainy Saturday. The fair has since become an annual tradition on the third weekend of each August, organized by the Polish Town Civic Association with the help of volunteers. Organizers had previously traveled to Poland to capture the spirit of the villages represented in Polish Town USA in Riverhead.
Attendees won’t leave empty-handed.
“We have over 100 vendors this year with authentic Polish items and authentic Polish food and a variety of other types of merchandise as well,” Galka said. “We’re going to have Polish beer and American so you can really explore some new tastes and flavors… Last year we experimented with Polish beer, and it was a huge hit.”
Galka said the fair’s appeal extends beyond the Polish community.
“We have people coming from out of state. We have people that are coming that have been coming here since they were kids. Some Polish, some not Polish.”
The celebration includes traditional folk dancing, polka, a performance by the Polish School, a Polish wedding and parade, and a pierogi-eating contest. Live music will be performed by Windstar, DJ Artur Kowalewski and others. See the event schedule for a full list of activities.