It seems that Minnesotans try to cram as much fun as we can into the summer months. When our days are blessed with sun and greenery dotted with beautiful flowers of every color in the rainbow, sometimes we think back to the cold winter like it was some sort of nightmare. The changing seasons can be charming in their way, but we tend to act like little bees in our own gardens of life happily enjoying our “fruits” of summer.
Just a few things that were going on around the Twin Cities last weekend were the Art Fair in Uptown Minneapolis, the Irish Fair in St. Paul, and the Polish Festival in Minneapolis. My husband and I visited the Polish Festival around 3:30 in the afternoon on Saturday. We were greeted by a group of very friendly people and a sign asking for donations so the Polish Festival could remain a free event. After giving our donation, we received a red sticker that said, “I Support the Polish Festival!”
The festival was set up between Old Main Street by St. Anthony Main and the Mississippi River. Tents bordered both sides and at each end there was a stage. All the tents were different. One tent had information about a Polish school and another was filled with Polish sheep dogs. Vendors sold decorative boxes, ornaments, honey, t-shirts, and trinkets. Food and beer could be purchased too. Because it was a warm day, we decided to try a Polish beer – Zywiec – and sat on a bench by the river and watched people pass by. There were visitors of all ages in attendance.
Polish food is delicious! We shared a dinner of Polish sausage, pierogies (dumplings stuffed with potato filling), and potato pancakes, and we couldn’t pass up the gotobki (cabbage rolls) or the poczki (raspberry filled pastries). We weren’t counting carbs that day. 🙂
Children performed a play in Polish on one stage and at the other, a polka band played under the bridge. Dancers’ polka steps were varied and impressive, and I wondered who would earn the ribbon to win the contest. We noticed that the vodka tasting was a big draw since it was sold out. That was okay, because after eating that variety of food, one beer was enough for us.
As we left, more people entered, and we guessed it was because it was dinner time. We enjoyed talking with some of the friendly folks, learning new things about the culture, the good food, and entertainment. If you didn’t get to attend this event, you can always add it to your list of “fruits of summer” to enjoy next year!
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