The end of July will be here before you know it and for Northwest Indiana that can only mean one thing: Pierogi Fest. That’s right, the wacky three-day festival is ready for its return to the City of Whiting and promises to bring with it all the crazy, zany, and just plain fun things you’ve come to expect.
No Pierogi Fest would be complete without The Pierogi Family and their vivacious personalities. There will be Mr. Pierogi himself, The Buscias, the Pieroguettes, Miss Paczki, and Halupki Guy to welcome all to the festival and mingle among the crowd!
Entertainment:
No Pierogi Fest is complete without a full lineup of entertainment. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered:
Friday, July 27th: Friday’s entertainment will feature the Ron Smolen Polka Band, Traverso Singers, Chorus of the Dunes, Rough Edges, and Touch of Class, Stern Approval, Eli Hernandez, Nomad Planets, I’m With Frank, Eddie Korosa Jr., the Boys from Illinois, Muddsharks, and Bill Harbinson.
Don’t miss out on the annual Pierogi Fest Polka Parade! It begins at 7PM and runs from Davis Ave & 119th Street to 119th Street & New York Ave. The Buscia Brigade, Lawnmower Brigade, Pierogi Pups, and Mr. Pierogi himself will be making appearances that you’ll want to see!
Saturday, July 28th: Saturday brings even more fun to the Region, starting with the Buscias’ Cooking Show! Other performances include Play It Forward, Michelle’s Dance Center, Hoosier Hrvati Orchestra, International Slovak Dancers, Rhino, Joe Humphreys, Genie O & Windy City Brass, The Joans, Little Queens, Eaten Alive, Captain Ambivalant, Take Five, Ronn & John, Detour North, Breakfast Club, and Mr. Pierogi and the Doughboys.
Don’t miss the Mr. Pierogi Songfest, Polka Contest, Whiting Idol, and the Buscia Game!
Sunday, July 29th: Sunday has some epic fun planned including the UTTC Showcase, Eastern European Last Name Spelling Bee, the Pierogi Toss, and the Pierogi Eating Contest!
Other performances throughout the day include Breaking Dawn, NuTones, International Slovak Dancers, Steve Hurd, The Jades, Danny Donuts, Fifty-One Lincoln Band, Merry Notes, Sgt. Sauerkraut, Dust to Dust, and Beatlejam!
Vendors:
Plenty of vendors will be on site to make the festival as exciting and delicious as expected! You can find a list of some of the mouth-watering food and beverage options here or, if arts and crafts are more of your thing, take a look at the specialty shops and vendors you can expect to find! One thing is for sure: you don’t want to miss out on the pierogis, barbeque, mexican food, and all things Eastern European!
The festival is presented each year by the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce, drawing more than 300,000 visitors to the city. The festival honors the heritage of the city, all while adding in the fun and jokes!
The festival also has a #BehindTheTents social media initiative to help spotlight small businesses in Whiting! To help highlight the names and faces behind the booths, tag #BehindTheTents and go online to read biographies on each local business. And, once the festival is over, don’t stop honoring those shops! Keep tagging and learning about who runs the local establishments to do what you can to support small businesses in Whiting.
Head to the website to see the countdown to one of the biggest festivals in Indiana. Come for the music and dancing, meet the Pierogi clan, and enjoy activities fit for the whole family. Come Sunday, your stomach, plates, and pockets will be stuffed full of potato-y goodness.
“We’re really glad you came!”
For more on Pierogi Festival, visit http://www.pierogifest.net/ and follow along on Facebook and Twitter for all the fun!