GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The annual Polish cultural celebration “Pulaski Days” is back in West Michigan after getting canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2022 festival is extra special because it’s the 50th Celebration for Polish Heritage in West Michigan.
The week-long celebration started on the east side of Grand Rapids and quickly spread, joining together 14 Polish organizations from the city for food, dancing and connecting.
“Everyone is welcome. With the Polish traditions, everybody wants you to feel welcome, so they’re going to bring you in. They’re going to talk to you. They’re going to say, ‘come sit down. Let me tell you about the food that we have here at our club,’” explained Michelle Kershner, Chairwoman of Pulaski Days.
As part of the celebration, New Holland Brewing rolled out the 50th celebration beer called “Casimir Reserve 50th Celebration” and City Built Brewing Company made “Pulaski Built Beer.”
The Pulaski Days celebration is held every October in Grand Rapids.
Here are the events happening in 2022:
- September 24: Golf outing
- October 1, 4 p.m.- midnight: 50th Celebration Dance [Knight of Columbus, 1140 Muskegon Ave. NW]
- October 2, 2 p.m.: Kickoff flag raising event [Diamond Ave. Hall, 435 Diamond Ave. NE]
- October 5, 7 p.m.: Kielbasa eating contest [ Diamond Ave. Hall, 435 Diamond Ave. NE]
- October 8, 11 a.m.: Pulaski Days parade [Parade route is on the west side and runs on Fulton from Valley to Lexington]
- October 9, 11:30 a.m.: Polka Mass [St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 2510 Richmond St. NW]
The following clubs are open to the public on October 7, 8 and 9:
- American Legion Post 459 [658 Michigan Ave. NE]
- Knights of Columbus [1140 Muskegon NW]
- Polish Falcons [957 W. Fulton]
- Polish National Aid Society – Jackson Street Hall [921 Jackson St. NW]
- Sacred Heart Benevolent Society Eastern Avenue Hall [506 Eastern Ave. NE]
- Sacred Heart Club – Kosciuszko Hall [935 Park St. SW]
- Saint Adalbert’s Aid Society – 5th Street Hall [701 5th St. NW]
- Saint Casimir’s – 6th Street Hall [649 6th St. NW]
- Saint Isidores Aid Society – Diamond Hall, home of the Pulaski Days Monument and Pulaski Square [435 Diamond Ave. NE]
- Saint Ladislaus Aid Society – “Laddies Hall” [58 Lane Ave. SW]
- Saint Stanislaus – Little Hall [823 Michigan Ave. NE]
- Saint George Peter & Paul Aid Society [1513 Quarry Ave. NW]
- Sons & Daughters Club [1057 Hamilton NW]
- Vytautas Aid Society [1300 Hamilton Ave. NW]
Click herefor a full schedule of the 50th Pulaski Days Celebration.
