18th annual Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival kicks off today

Aug. 12—PLYMOUTH — Marie Ondish, co-owner of Polish Connection on Main Street, was busy Thursday getting ready for the Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival and she summed up the general feeling about the upcoming event.

"We're really excited," Ondish said. "We enjoy the festival every year. The town has a lot of people walking up and down Main Street and it's a great opportunity for us to sell all our Polish dishes."

Alexis Eroh, Chair of Plymouth Alive said the 18th annual event is critical for the town, its people and its organizations.

"Our volunteers have working hard to get everything ready for the festival," Eroh said. "We have two bandshells and 82-plus vendors this year, selling great food, crafts, jewelry, clothing, toys and we will have lots of games and face painters as well."

Jack Kovach, owner of Happy Pizza on West Main Street, will be the 2022 grand marshal for the Kielbasa Festival Parade, which steps off Saturday, Aug. 13, at 11 a.m.

"The Kielbasa Festival is something that the town of Plymouth looks forward to each year," said Eroh. who takes over as chair of the event. "The bars and restaurants along Main Street prepare accordingly, ordering weeks in advance to get ready for the crowds that come for the festival. The manager of the Press Box told me that it is 'by far' his biggest weekend of the year."

Eroh and her fellow officers — John Thomas, vice chair; Adam Morehart, treasure; and Janet Dixon, secretary — and the entire committee and volunteers have been working hard to get the town ready for another successful event.

"The proceeds that we in Plymouth Alive receive from vendor fees and t-shirt sales go toward paying for the festival itself, but also allow us as an organization to donate to the fire companies, the police department, sponsor the summer reading program at the library, support the Plymouth Shawnee Indians and the Historical Society on a regular basis," Eroh said.

Eroh added that this year, Plymouth Alive was able to replace the planters along Main Street and plant the flowers in summer, which helps beautify the town.

And there is much more that the Kielbasa Festival means to the town and its organizations and its people.

"The sense of pride and community that results from the festival is tangible," Eroh said. "We all come together to make it happen because residents of all ages enjoy it — from kids who come for the games and face painting to the senior citizens who walk over from Dan Flood Towers in the afternoon to enjoy the polka music. Kielbasa Festival is iconically Plymouth and showcases the best of what we have to offer."

Mayor Frank Coughlin agrees, noting that almost every storefront along Plymouth's Main Street is filled with viable, successful businesses that visitors will see and patronize during the Kielbasa Festival and beyond.

"To me, the Kielbasa Festival is when old friends come home — friends who haven't seen each other in years and they share stories and enjoy good food and music. Visitors come in and enjoy our Main Street businesses and they can experience a great festival in a safe environment."

Eroh, Coughlin and Morehart noted that the Kielbasa Festival emotes a feeling of small town life — the feeling of true community spirit being espoused by descendants of that Greatest Generation.

"The organizations supported by the festival are vital to the health of the community,"Eroh said. " They all provide needed services to the town and its people.

The entertainment lineup for this year will feature the return of two stages. In addition to the Sue Gryziec Main Stage we will have the return of the Valley with a Heart Bandshell at the WVW High School. Both stages boast a full slate of bands, including multiple polka bands and the much-anticipated performance from The Great Rock Scare, currently on their reunion tour following a 2-decade hiatus. All of our entertainment is free and guests are encouraged to bring a chair to sit and enjoy the show.

Kielbasa Contest

Eroh explained the Kielbasa Contest format:

"Upon purchasing a kielbasa product from a designated kielbasa vendor, the festival attendee will be provided with a ticket by that kielbasa vendor.

"The attendee will bring that ticket to the Plymouth Alive T-Shirt tent and place it in the box associated with the designated Kielbasa Vendor for whom they wish to vote.

"We will have one category for fresh kielbasa and one for smoked kielbasa. The top vote-getter for each category will win."

Entertainment schedule

Friday Aug. 12 — Sue Gryziec Main Stage

1:30-3:30 Stevens Polka Band

4:00-6:00 Nobody's Fool

6:30-8:30 Eddie Day and the Starfires

9:00-11:00 The Great Rock Scare Reunion

WVW Valley With A Heart Bandshell

4:00-6:00 Reel in the Years

6:30-8:30 Shakey Ground w/Bob Gryziec

9:00-11:00 Kris & the Trainwrecks

Saturday Aug. 13 — Sue Gryziec Main Stage

1:30-3:30 Fuzzy Park Trio

4:00-6:00 Stanky and the Coalminers

6:30-8:30 $haken — Eddie Money Tribute Band

9:00-11:00 Fair Warning — Van Halen Tribute Band

WVW Valley With A Heart Bandshell

1:30-3:30 Eddie Appnell Duo

4:00-6:00 Lance Thomas Band

6:30-8:30 Swing Masters Polka Band

9:00-11:00 Mother Nature's Sons

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.