Polish Town USA is the place to be this weekend for traditional Polish food, music, dance and time to celebrate all things Polish.
The two-day Polish Fair and Festival kicked off yesterday and continues today offering street vendors and plenty of entertainment in Polish Town, a Riverhead neighborhood that developed as an enclave for Polish immigrants who arrived in the area in large numbers in the 1880s and earned a living working in local agriculture.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Polish Town Fair, which was first held on Aug. 16, 1975, organized by the Polish Town Civic Association.
For more coverage on the history of the fair, see: Riverhead’s Polish-American roots showcased in a special museum exhibit at Polish Town Fair this year (Aug. 15, 2014)
The fair continued annually through 2019, but was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is making its comeback this year following a reorganization of the civic organization.
During the fair’s hiatus the past few years, Riverhead Polish Hall, a Polish Town stalwart since 1907, stepped up its own Polish Fair weekend festivities to fill the void. It has offered music and entertainment with traditional Polish food and beer vendors on the property of the Polish Town landmark that has stood opposite St. Isidore Church for nearly a century. (The original hall burned down and the current structure was built around 1925, according to a history of Polish Town USA published on the Town of Riverhead’s website.)
The Polish Hall festival expanded onto Pulaski Street last year, and this year has expanded to a two-day event, coinciding with the civic association’s fair and festival taking place on the adjoining streets of Polish Town.
There’s plenty to see and lots of food and entertainment celebrating Polish heritage in Riverhead today as both events continue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine. (The National Weather Service local forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a 35% chance of showers through this afternoon, with temperatures in the mid-70s.)
RiverheadLOCAL photos from the fair on Aug. 17 by Emil Breitenbach Jr.
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