2008 ethnic festival season kicks off with Polish Fest June 20-22

MILWAUKEE'S ethnic festival season begins this month with the music and dance of traditional and contemporary Poland as Polish Fest opens at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds) on the lakefront.

From June 20-22 Polish Fest offers a Cultural Village with exhibits, Polish artists and folk art demonstrations, a marketplace, Polish cuisine, traditional and contemporary performers and much more. Fireworks will light up the skies over the lakefront on Friday and Saturday nights.

Exhibits excite the imagination
This year the festival brings two exceptional exhibits to the lakefront. Direct from the Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature in Warsaw is a special exhibit celebrating the life of Joseph Conrad - Polish nobleman, British seaman, and English novelist. Born J-zef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, his adventures provided material for his later novels, Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness, Nostromo, The Secret Agent, and others.

More than 50 movies have been based on his books, including Apocalypse Now. Entitled "Joseph Conrad: Twixt Land & Sea," the exhibit is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. It appears at Polish Fest courtesy of the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Chicago.

Also in the Cultural Village is a mobile exhibit telling the story of America's first Polish settlers, who came to Jamestown, Virginia, in 1608. The exhibit is brought to Milwaukee courtesy of the Polish American Jamestown Committee.

Music covers all genres
The Marszalek Chicago Band will bring the Polish "club scene" to the festival on Friday evening, and also on Friday, the Marianna Band hits the stage with a diverse Polish and American repertoire, including polkas, rock, jazz standards, swing and much more. On Saturday, a Canadian group, John G-ra & G-rale, will entertain, and visitors can also savor the jazz stylings of Grazyna Auguscik.

Accordion virtuosos Stas Venglevski and Lidia Kaminska will thrill audiences throughout the weekend. Venglevski, a native of the Republic of Moldova, performs classical numbers with "dazzling technical command and sensitivity," and Kaminska, who is from Poland, has received awards that include a special prize in an international tango music competition.

On Friday and Saturday nights Those Darn Accordions will headline on the Miller Contemporary Stage, and also on Friday night, be sure to catch Squeezebox, specializing in multiple genres of music including polkas, waltzes, fox-trots, two-steps, big band, swing, square dances and figure dances. Another favorite is the Non-Stop Polka Stage, which showcases some of the finest polka bands in the country. Every year, traditional Polish dancing delights festival-goers of all ages. A must-see is the Polish Folk Dance of America Association Dance Gala at 6 p.m. Saturday on the Cultural Stage.

Open a "Window to Poland"
Polish Fest's cultural area features a variety of displays and exhibits that provide something for everyone. "Windows to Poland: Costumes and Customs," shows visitors fabulous folk costumes which illustrate Poland's incredible regional diversity. The colorful display is courtesy of the Syrena Polish Folk Dance Ensemble of Milwaukee.

In the Polish Forum, scholars and writers will speak on timely Polish topics. Subject matter includes local history, the accordion as a classical instrument, Jamestown history, Polish American poetry and Milwaukee's Polish neighborhoods.

Folk art demonstrations include wycinanki (Polish paper-cuttings), pisanki (decorated eggs), wianki (floral head wreaths) and other handicrafts.

Local Polish artists display watercolors, oil paintings, and other works in the recreated market square representing Kazimierz Dolny, a picturesque artists' colony on the banks of the Vistula River. Genealogy can be explored with on-site experts, while travel pros help plan visits to Poland.

Animal lovers will not want to miss the Polish Tatra Sheepdogs. The dogs were introduced into the Tatra Mountain region of Southern Poland by Wallachian shepherds, probably in the 14th Century, and used to guard and herd sheep.

Fun, food for the whole family
Features on the Children's Stage throughout the weekend include magicians, clowns and Discovery World's "Fire & Ice." On Sunday, Little, Junior and Teen Miss Polish Fest contestants take the stage at 12:30 p.m. Also on Sunday, the Tenth Annual Chopin Youth Piano Competition keeps the spotlight on young people, while celebrating Poland's great composer, Frederic Francois Chopin.

With more than 20 restaurants, enjoy everything from pierogi, Krakus Polish Ham, Klement's Polish sausage, zapiekanki (an open-faced pizza bread type of sandwich), and paczki, chrusciki and cheesecake available at the Kawiarnia Polish Cafe.

For discriminating adults, Polish Fest serves up Polish vodkas, liqueurs and wines. While Krupnik liqueur, a honey-flavored drink, is familiar to past festival-goers, the Stawski Imports Spirits Tastings will offer samples of several vodkas and liqueurs. Of course, Miller beer and non-alcoholic beverages are also available.

At the Sukiennice, or outdoor marketplace, tempting treasures include beautiful amber jewelry, Boleslawiec pottery, blown glass ornaments, Polish crystal, hand-carved wooden boxes and festival souvenirs.

A children's activity area will feature crafts, games, face painting, a rock climbing wall, and more.

REDUCED ADMISSION FEES ON POLISH FEST'S FIRST DAY

POLISH FEST kicks off June 20 with "Fifty Cent Friday." A special admission of only 50 cents will be charged from noon to 5 p.m., with a half-price admission rate of $5 from 5:01 p.m. to closing at midnight.

Regular admission rates on Saturday and Sunday still represent a great entertainment value: tickets are $10/general admission, $8/Senior (55+), children 15 & under are FREE with an adult. On Sunday, Polish Fest celebrates a traditional Polish Mass at 10:15 a.m. Gates close at 11 a.m. There is free admission to Mass, and entrance into Polish Fest is $4 following Mass.

Hours of the festival are noon to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. For more information about Polish Fest, call 414-529-2140 or visit www.polishfest.org. Information about public transportation is available at 414-344-6711.