Annual event relocates for 2009

By Cortney Casey
C & G Staff Writer

STERLING HEIGHTS — After losing their usual venue, Freedom Hill County Park, to budget cuts, organizers of the American Polish Festival are shifting the annual event to a fitting alternate location.

The American Polish Century Club in Sterling Heights will serve as the site for this year’s celebration, which runs July 10-12. It’s only appropriate, considering the event — in its previous form, as the Mushroom Festival — took place on the APCC grounds in the 1960s and 1970s, said festival co-chairman Arnold Beller.

“We decided there’s no place like home,” he said. “It’s kind of bringing it all together where we started from.”

After county officials voted to eliminate hosting festivals at Freedom Hill due to budgetary woes, APCC members were left to ponder whether they should even go through with this year’s event.

“There was some talk: ‘Should we do a festival? Should we not do a festival?’” said Leonard Palermino, general manager and executive chef at the APCC facilities.

Ultimately, organizers decided to move forward with a smaller scope, believing the event would still be welcomed, regardless of location, because it’s become a local staple and — with free admission and $7 parking — presents a low-cost entertainment option in the poor economy.

“We’ve been doing it so long, and we want to promote our Polish heritage and share it with others,” said Beller. “We want to keep the festival in the community. So many of these small festivals are disappearing.”

The relocation has posed significant challenges, chiefly in the area of utilities, which were ready and waiting at Freedom Hill, but are more difficult to arrange at the APCC.

Beller said the group plans to set up tents, a stage and a dance floor, and hook up generators for the event. 

The festival’s Polish fare is always a major draw, and this year will be no exception. While the number of vendors has been reduced due to electrical and space limitations, there will still be an American kitchen and a Polish kitchen, with the Polish food prepared inside the APCC’s Century Banquet Center, said Beller.

According to Palermino, the staff is planning to cook 1,000 pounds each of city chicken and golombki, 1,200 pounds of kielbasa and 500 pounds of potato pancakes for the weekend.

“Along with pierogi, pierogi and pierogi,” he laughed. “I can’t even count how many pierogi we go through.”

Beller anticipates that 30-40 crafters will be on hand selling their creations, and inflatable attractions will be available for kids. A traditional Polish Mass is scheduled for noon on Sunday.

The departure from Freedom Hill has presented one significant silver lining. Free from restrictions requiring everyone to vacate the park by 11 p.m., the festival will now offer extended hours Friday and Saturday, with entertainment until midnight and the bar open until 1 a.m., said Palermino.

The entertainment lineup includes dancing by the Zajaczek Dance Ensemble and Wawel Dance Ensemble, and music from groups like The Polka Family Band, The Kielbasa Kings and The Misty Blues Orchestra.

“Typically, people travel 200, 300, 400 miles to see a quality polka lineup,” said Palermino.

Beller said organizers are trying to appeal to a younger crowd by adding The Polish Muslims, a humorous Hamtramck-based band.

Parking is available at the Maple Lane Golf Club and Warren Consolidated Schools’ Career Preparation Center, with a shuttle transporting visitors to the APCC grounds.

The event has drawn crowds of 8,000 to 12,000 over the course of the weekend over the last few years, and with the smaller venue, “we’re hoping that we can draw two-thirds of that,” said Beller.

Despite the forced relocation, Palermino said organizers are choosing to view the changes in a positive light.

“There’s always a reason something happens,” he said. “Every challenge that we’ve been handed, we’ve dealt with it. I really feel that we’re going to have one of the best festivals we’ve ever had.”

For more information, call (586) 264-7990, e-mail americanpolishfestival@yahoo.com or visit www.americanpolishfestival.com. 

The APCC is located at 33204 Maple Lane, off of 14 Mile Road, just east of Hoover, in Sterling Heights.

You can reach Staff Writer Cortney Casey at ccasey@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1046.