I went last year and I wasn't dazzled by the Pierogi. Mine were lousy and I even got some raw sausage :( I wish grandma would come cook for me!!! Where are you grandma! read more

I used to think I didn't like pierogi; then I had a real, hand-made by an actual Polish women pierodi and realized I just don't like the frozen, boxed perogis you buy at the Jewel.... So we headed to Pierogi Fest Saturday afternoon. We arrive about 2:30 and parked with ease in the high school parking lot that was suggested on the website. (It was free.) The shuttle was a school bus and it was waiting for people when we arrived. However, we had two strollers and two small children so we decided to forego it and just walk. (Plus, it certainly couldn't hurt to burn off a few calories in advance of stuffing our faces.) We spent about 2 hours at the fest (We would have stayed longer, but had another commitment that evening.) and didn't even make it all the way down to the craft fair section.) We spent some time in the kiddie rides area where our friends' two year old rode the bumpy barrels and spent some time in the inflatable maze. We sampled pierogi (and other food) from a few difference places and all of it was delicious as expected! We also grabbed some strudel to take home with us. Prices actually seemed reasonable too! I always expect prices to be higher at "fest," but this particular one didn't feel like highway robbery. It was crowded, but it didn't start to feel "too crowded" until we were heading out around 4:30. We will definitely be heading back next year! read more

Pierogi Fest is one of my FAVORITE festivals of all time! This is the only festival where we actually came back with *more* money than we came with (thanks bingo!) and unlike the street fests of Chicago where they shake you down for a "donation" this one was 100% FREE. Lotsa goodies galore here! We were able to score free custom printed teeshirts from Traveler's Insurance, cheapo P-Fest souvenirs and one helluva delicious Polish Plate that included kraut and sausage, your choice of 3 pierogis and the elusive haluski...all drowning in delicious butter!!! Now that I have popped my haluski cherry, I WANT MORE!!!!!!!! We even got to take pix with Mr. Pierogi and Ms. Pazcki! Fun times for all! read more

Its that time of year again and Adrian W has posted this as a Yelp event. The 2008 dates are the 25th to 27th of July. I've eaten enough pierogi's in my life, so the last time I went here I pigged out on great Jamaican, Cajun, and barbeque fare. Whiting seems like a neighborhood that time forgot - its like going back to the 50s or 60s. Good salt of the earth type of people. Its not far from the city - the first exit in Indiana after the skyway. Unlike some of the Chicago street fairs, its a lot cheaper. In prior years they had a lot of activities for kids which were very reasonably priced or free. Only negative: every year the weather always seems to be sunny and near 100 degrees. read more

Lots of fun at this one-of-a-kind fest - filled with food, a beer garden, various musical acts, and rides for the kids. Held in Whiting Indiana every year, the food sellers specialize in pierogi (dough pockets filled with cheese/meat/potato/kraut/or prune), polish sausage, potato pancakes, halushky (noodles or dumplings and cabbage), and holupki (stuffed cabbage). I am a Canadian boy but have grown to love these eastern European foods. Try them and you won't be sorry. Prices are reasonable too. We usually go on Friday afternoons when the fest begins, and we can avoid the crowds. But this year it was jam packed all the time. Great fun at a singularly Midwestern ethnic affair. read more

I was anticipating something very different from what I received...I came here with the idea that there would be "creative" pierogis, ones not just filled with potato and cheese or meat. I thought " there is bound to be more in the pierogi world!" but a las- this festival proved me wrong. All the places had the same type of peirogies, albeit the ones i had were good, I was just looking for that elusive ice cream pierogi? or just something to celebrate the dumpling in all its capabilities. Over all it was a great festival with funny signs and what seemed like a lot of activities. Theres of course more then plenty of food and i think it was overall very well priced, corn on the cob 2 bucks, pierogies ringing in at less then a dollar each. And coming from Chicago, I always appreciate seeing small towns with their cute little houses and plump residents and as someone as already said, Whiting feels like the town from Back to the Future. read more

OK, this year we went on a Saturday afternoon and it was about 90 degrees. Stick to Friday evenings for this one. I've gone plenty of times in the past and it critical to go when all the crazy Whiting rats are out to watch the most insane parade on Friday evening at the start of the festival. My last parade memory is men dressed as grannies pushing lawn mowers and barely-legal men dressed in tighty-whities dancing on a float... what can I say, it's Whiting at it's best ;) This year we tried just about every stand, and I must say Kasia's pirogi's still rein supreme (and you can pick those up at Jewel). But for a festival in Whiting, this is the creme de la creme... read more

A great fest for a small city. FUN FUN FUN. They got it all. Big Beer Garden, Wide range of ethnic food. Fried green tomatoes. Kluski noodles. Aligator meat Potatoe Pancakes. And yes PIEROGI read more

If you like pierogis I think you'd definitely like coming here for the fest. I had some pretty good ones and not so good ones. There's a pretty big selection to choose from. If you don't mind the summer heat and crowds then come on by. read more

Gotta love the pierogi fest! Any delicious Polish delicacy that you can think of they have! From pierogis, to polishes, to potato pancakes it's here! Even tried the taco pierogis this year for the first time, and not too bad. A must though is the steak pierogis from Freddy's steakhouse,one of my favorites! I see that Ben's pretzels and Jodi's Italian ice had a stand this year, which was great because I enjoy both of those places.The fest really has a cool atmosphere. Great food, nice parades, good bands, a beer garden, what more could you ask for? I understand that the Pierogi Fest has actually surpassed Taste of Chicago for the title of most food vendors. People from all over the world come to the fest. So if you've never been here come on down and give them a try. It gets a little crowded, but it's well worth it. read more

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"Hey nice Pierogis"....well you should go just for that. Its only 3 1/2 weeks away. Okay, it is in July, but its only once a year....I can suck up that heat just for one weekend. While your there stop by The Junkyard and pick up one of those great shirts : ) : ) : ) read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE Pierogifest! One of the best festivals of the year. All the best food you can imagine, plenty of culture, a great parade, pierogi-eating contest, kids activities, music, beer, dancing, pretty much everything you could ever want in a fest. Free to get in and cheap to eat. The fest draws crowds from all over. Go for the parade which is usually on Friday if you can - you will meet Mr. Pierogi and the Pierogettes. I've been there 3 years in a row now and the July heat can't stop me. It is definitely worth checking out. See you there! read more

I've heard so much hype about this fest I thought I'd finally go. I was brought up on home cooked Polish/Lithuanian food, so my judgement might be harsh. For me personally, it was about an hour trip. Parking tip I got was great and parked for free just 2 blocks down, a handful of spots opening and this was 2pm on a Saturday! Kids area we saw first, a few rides and carnival games. The beer tent/cage was next but as I am not a drinker my family and I just walked around. Seemed roomy but no shade. Only concerned me for the drinkers because the heat was up there, around 90°. Like many have already reviewed, the fest is on one long street that is normally 2 lanes. With vendors on each side you are left with about a car width of room to walk down. There is also sidewalk walking which is nice because there you could find shade. We walked the entire thing in full to see what the hype was. The smells were great but I personally found the selection not great. For a fest named exclusively Pierogi Fest, there wasn't this huge selection everyone was raving about. Most if not all, the pierogi vendors were selling your average pierogi-- Potato, Potato and Cheese, Sweet Cheese, Spinach, or some variation of Potato and something. Maybe my expectations were high but I came purely for pierogis of a different kind other than what my Aunt makes. Only 1 vendor that I noticed sold fruit ones, kind of disappointed there since fruit ones are pretty good. Where was the small Polish deli's making pierogis? Now, the smells from the everything was fantastic but we didn't want to go broke eating. Potato pancakes looked good, but then again I can make these at home. Crowds were heavy at times but if you retreat to the sidewalk you're good. DON'T BUY WATER!!! JUST GO INTO THE DOLLAR STORE! They were open and super polite! Grabbed 3 huge bottles of water for $3 and got to cool off a little. In all, it was a nice afternoon out. But if you go like me expecting some crazy pierogi inventions, or at least a more eclectic selection, then stick to order from your Aunt! read more

Finally went back, after missing it in 2012. Despite that I weirdly didn't see the 'dunk a nun' tank, it was still as great as ever. I'm starting to love this fest more than most festivals in the Chicago area, that I've gotten to the point where I never again want to have a year where I don't do one visit to this festival again. It's THAT awesome of a fest. read more

My aunt convinced me to drive from Chicago to meet her and her girlfriends in Whiting for the Pierogi Fest this past weekend. It was everything I expected and more: Lots and lots of polish food, butter, oil, polka, and beer...plus lots of other little Whiting nuggets of goodness. From roller skating Dunk-a-Nuns, to the Starbuska coffee booth, the Pierogi Fest was unlike any other festival I've been to. Sure, you have your overpriced fair food but once you make it deep into the festival you get the good stuff: real pierogies, potato pancakes and tons of sausage. If you don't have anything going on the last weekend of July next year, take a trip down to Whiting and check it out for yourself...no yelp review can give this Polish party justice. read more

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Found out about Pierogi Fest while traveling near Chicago & since we love home cooked Polish food this was a no brainer. Shuttle buses were provided from parking areas to the event. The food vendors were plentiful each with their own take on traditional Polish dishes. We enjoyed the food & people watching & were entertained by the music that played on several stages. Since we were just passing through we didn't stay for the evening parade but had a good time the few hours we spent there. All in all a pierogi-rific time. read more

Love the Pierogies .. I try to come here every yr at least once. There are a lot of vendors, lots of food to choose from.

PIEROGI FEST - IT IS ALL ABOUT THE FOOD! -119th St., Whiting, IN 46394, (219) 659-0292, pierogifest.net PIEROGI FEST ALWAYS RUNS at the end July. The fest runs from 11am to 10pm on Friday and Saturday and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday. You'll find it jam packed with things like the Polka Dance, Mr. Pierogi and Ms. Paczki. They love to chew the fat about all things pierogi! Went with friends and all of us enjoyed! You bet your Dupa we enjoyed it! Dziękuję, Mrs. Q Q-Tips say: NO ADMISSION FEE to get into Pierogi Fest. GO and go HUNGRY. Plenty of different kinds of Polish goodies and other types of food. A large Beer Garden, Arts & Crafts and plenty of places to sit and enjoy the day. Lots of entertainment & fun things for the kiddies. See you next year at Pierogi Fest. DRIVING DIRECTIONS: FROM THE LOOP: South on I-94/Dan Ryan Expressway to the Chicago Skyway/I-90. Exit Indianapolis Blvd.(PLEASE NOTE: The Skyway now costs $4.00 each way. Turn left at the stop light (Southeast) onto Indianapolis Blvd. and drive for approximately 2 miles. At 119th Street, you have arrived at the Fest. Park and enjoy. Mr. Pierogi & Friends They HAVE SO MUCH FUN at the Fest they need five stages to showcase it all. If you want to see everything we have to offer on every stage, please click here. International Polka ParadeThe International Polka Parade takes place right on 119th Street on Friday night at 7p.m. and is one of the highlights of each Pierogi Fest. With its special Precision Lawn-mower Drill team, the Twirling Babushka Brigade, the Marching MBA's, the World's Original Lazy Boy float, high school band, the Pierogi Queen and her court, and the "Beer-o-gies," the parade salutes their Eastern European heritage with a little tongue in cheek. It's the antithesis of any parade you've ever seen! Mr. Pierogi Songfest -Mr. Pierogi and his Pieroguettes (Miss Potato, Miss Cheese, Miss Mushroom, Miss Berry, Miss Beef, Miss Apricot, and Miss Sauerkraut) along with featured singers sing and dance during the Mr. Pierogi Songfest Saturday at 1pm. Big time favorites are our Pierogi festival anthem, sung to the tune of "Matilda" and the charming "Whiting, Indiana" song. Our guest vocalists have bowled over lunch time crowds with "I Will Deep Fry," "Anything You Can Eat, I Can Eat More Of" and of course the fugue from "Guys & Pierogis." Broadway tunes bow to the great white (and kind of golden brown) Pierogi. Every year, we introduce new songs, don't miss this fun sign along. Pierogi TossHow far can you fling a pierogi? How about backward over your head? There's only one way to find out and that's at the Pierogi Toss. See how good your aim is on Sunday at 2:30pm. Visit the information booth or the Chamber of Commerce office to find out how to enter! Pierogi Eating ContestHave you ever tried to eat your weight in Pierogi? If not, now's your chance. Goand enjoy! Alice 34203 and 60660 read more

This amazing, fun festival is a way of life for all of us Hammond/Whiting/NWI folk. What can you say about a bunch of polacks holding a parade where the politicians push broken-down lawnmowers? Not to mention the food. Oh, festival food, how I love thee. Thankfully, the Pierogi Fest has a lot of it's namesake hot and ready to go (Kasia's potato pierogi are probably my favorite festival food of all time). Desserts are luscious, beer is aplenty, and Polacks potentially crazier than my family - or maybe they are my family? - abound. It's a fantastic event not only for the food, but for the culture. If you've never been, give it a try! (And don't miss the parade!) read more

food was great . what i got to taste. my kids were not so happy. just to much for them. on the day we went i think they were tired. ok now on the parade. i was not happy . the parade was awesome !!!!! CAPS I AM MAD LOL the people viewing it aweful no manors would not sit down so the kids could see swore the whole time smoked and ashed on me . almost got in a fight when people ask other to sit they came late so they went in front of the early people and stood the whole time how rude . it was the worst crowd i have ever been in in my life!!!!!!!!!!! it may be better if you were not sitting were i was i was told the cops were about 3 feet away from stepping in . ... i think drunk was the big problem . but most peope seemed to handle them selves ok but manors would be nice they seemed to be out the window here read more

Still LOVE this fest. It's always great to be here during the fest. Certainly if you don't care for Pierogi, But just like to go for the fun of it-There's an abundance of other food stands as well. But I go for the Pierogi & fun. BTW, Where was Mimi's or Mini's?.......They had GREAT Pierogis , But didn't see them this year........ Maybe I didn't look hard enough........ Oh well, Maybe next year........ read more

Wonderful annual food fest that celebrates history and culture. Fest is once a year, seems busy the whole time. Vendors range from polish everything to pizza to assorted giant eclares. Price ranges are $3-$9 for a serving. Parking is hit or miss. There is far away parking with a shuttle- really easy. There is street parking but it's hard to come by. There is paid lot parking around $10 very close. Beer garden is the last part of the fest. Tickets for beer need to be pre purchased for $5 each. Cider, Miller, and bud available. Nothing too fancy. Bands in beer garden are modern, top 40 music and tasteful. Vendors accept cash only so stop before hand. There is a very small children area with jump houses and games. Cash only again. Be sure to look online for the event schedule. There is a mr. Pierogi celebration, dances, polka bands, and more. The food is spectacular so go hungry. Portapottys were upgraded this year to the lit trailers, flushable with sinks and a mirror! Need supplies? There are a few shops on the Main Street: Walgreens has pretty everything you might need in a pinch. There are two bars, typically packed and two restaurants, steady for all three days. read more

Review 100! I was saving review 100 for Bell's Brewery, but Pierogi Fest was so awesome that it ousted a brewery. Yeah, that's right. It was that good. Oh dumplings, I love you in all your shapes, sizes and nationalities. I enjoy pot stickers, raviolis, the German knöpfle, samosas, baked apple dumplings...I could go on and on. But really, you and I both know that the king of the dumpling is the Polish pierogi. Living in Indianapolis, we have a distinct shortage of Polish restaurants. I actually don't think we have any at all (take note, beloved pierogi vendors - there is a market in need!). Due to this, I am forced to eat the frozen pierogis from the grocery store, which while good, are nowhere near the real deal. Now one would think with my love of pieorgis and my NWI roots, I would have been to pierogi fest in the past. This is not the case! Something or other has kept me from pierogi fest each and every year until this one. This year I made a pact with another NWI ex-pat to block out the time and actually attend the festival and wow have I been missing out all these years! When we arrived at Pierogi Fest, parking initially seemed like it was going to be an issue, but we ended up finding free street parking about a five minute walk outside of the festival. Upon entering the fest, I was overtaken by amazing food smells - this is not your typical fair food! While you may find a typical fair vendor here and there, they are the clear minority in a sea of home-cooked goodness. I can't even tell you all the vendors we sampled from, but I can tell you that I had pierogis filled with potato, potato and cheese, kraut, kraut and mushroom, spinach, and sweet cheese. After round one of pierogis, we rolled ourselves down to the beer tent to wait for our second wind - on this hike, we realized just how freaking huge the festival is! I thought it stretched for maybe five city blocks, but boy howdy was I wrong - I don't think I would be amiss in saying it was a good twelve blocks. We kept passing vendors, stages with polka music, women in babushkas, the entire time wondering "Where the hell is the beer tent? We have to be getting close! Oh god, I should have eaten those pierogis slower instead of just inhaling them..." After finally getting to the beer tent, we found the saddest thing of Pierogi Fest - their beer selection. The choices that I saw were Miller Lite, MGD, Mikes Hard Lemonade, Mikes Hard Cranberry, and some sort of spiked ice tea drink in a can. If you are looking for any sort of dark beer, you can just forget about it. Though to be fair, after eating round one of pierogis, I only had room for one MGD anyhow. The ticket price for the drinks ended up being $3 for a beer, which for a festival was not unreasonable. After nursing our food hangovers in the beer tent for an hour, we were ready for more hair of the dog and set back out in search of deliciousness. We found it at Dan's Pierogis, the winner of the 2010 Pierogi Fest award. I remember the name of this particular vendor because we had to wait in a substantial line due to their fancy award. The pierogis were yet again excellent, but it was hard saying at that point if they were necessarily better than the others that we'd had. After previously gorging ourselves, the wait in line was not necessarily a bad thing. After that round of pierogis, we decided we were ready to O.D. on pierogis, and the only cure would be some potato pancakes. After sharing two amazing pancakes with both sour cream and apple sauce, we determined we'd done all the damage we could do (and the festival was closing up for the night), so we called it a day and headed back to our car, much, much slower than we headed in. Important things to note about Pierogi Fest: - Unlimited pop from the old fashioned root beer stand if you buy their fantastic tin cup for $10. Good flavors like sarsaparilla, vanilla soda, and of course, delicious root beer. - The beer garden has a much fancier mobile bathroom than the port-a-potties in the rest of the fest - We went in the evening when the sun was going down, and it was MUCH cooler and we were able to stay longer than other fest goers I talked to. - Bring friends so you can sample as many varieties of pierogis as possible - Pierogis are really inexpensive! At most vendors, they were $1 each or 6 for $5, mix and match varieties. - Purchase frozen pierogis to take home for loved ones who couldn't make it to the fest, or just to sate the pierogi cravings that are bound to ensue post-festival This may have been my first trip to Pierogi Fest, but after experiencing how absolutely glorious it is, you can be assured it will not be my last. read more

First time at the fest and perhaps I set the bar too high. The negative, I would close down 1/2 of the booths for sanitaion; As a foodie, I recognize burnt fryer grease smell and there was plenty of it; booths were very unorganized; many vendors short/out of product. Parking ranging from $10-$20 dollars. If you wait, you can find street parking for free. The positive, affordable pricing; Dan's Pierogi's; the bathrooms down by the beer garden/crafts. If I were to go again, I would most certainly start at the far end of the event and move forward. read more

Forget about Mr. Pierogi or Miss Paczi. Here's the TRUE face of Pierogi Fest. It's a morbidly obese white woman in soiled, pink, sweat pants and matching shirt standing barefoot at the curb on the street outside of her run-down apartment building holding up a crudely-lettered, home-made sign reading, "PARKING $10". I swear, I would be VERY surprised if she has an actual job the rest of the year. Piergoi Fest, with its ten-dollar, fifteen-dollar and twenty-dollar parking signs EVERYWHERE seemingly has very little to do with the joy of pierogis or Polish food and quite clearly EVERYTHING to do with a bunch of small-town, down-on-their-luck rubes trying to make their entire years worth of income in just three days by gouging Fest visitors to park their cars. It was all kind of sad. Really. We drove around the crowded side streets for a little while looking for a place to park and then when we saw no clear signage directing us to the "off-site parking with shuttles" they claimed online to have available, we eventually just gave up and left. UPDATE: My wife and I subsequently learned how to make our OWN pierogis. It really is a lot of fun to do and they turn out great! We make multiple batches using five or six different fillings and then I vacuum seal and freeze them. We'll never go anywhere near Pierogi Fest again. But you know, I have to admit that I still get a little bit excited whenever I think about Miss Paczi. What a dish!!! read more

If you like pierogies, DON'T BUY THEM HERE. Wow, much media coverage on a "Block Party". I went right when the opened, yesterday, Friday 7/24/09. Thank God after what I saw in the paper. Too many people in a small spot but it is a very lovely nice looking area. Easy parking, free as I parked in the subdivision behind the event. I went when it was gorgeous out, perfect temp and awesome winds. It was probably cooler due to the lake. Now, as for the pierogies DISGUSTING! I grew up with homemade pierogies my polish grandmother made, and there was no MYSTERY MEAT involved. I tried 5 vendors. Now, there are approx 15 if that that served pierogies. Mine were dried, doughy texture and I ordered kraut but it was funky tasting...each and every one. One place did not even serve Kraut or Cheese...HUH???? I was very disappointed. Why...becuase they were not fresh! I saw three vendors pulling their product out of packages which were probably frozen. Why else would you package them up just to rip them open and cook on a grill in front of you. NINA's out of Merrillville - I bought theirs before at their store only to find out they were frozen and they were nasty! And if I wanted a product I could buy at the store, I would buy it myself and cook it myself...aka KASIA and not spend money on frozen product. I expected it to be fresh and authentic. And I hav ehad the store bought and it is exactly that...the quality of frozen food...like frozen dinner...no quality is put into the product...ie Mrs. T's. That is like eating jarred spaghetti sauce to a head chef....blah! So that said, like another review, where is my grandmother??? Well, she is resting in heaven but fortunately the best authentic pierogies (who don't attend the fest - they don't need to. They make enough money as it is word of mouth which is donated to the church) I have found that bring me back to my childhood are made from little old polish ladies at St. Josephat Church in Munster, Indiana 219-838-9811. They take orders. When you pick them up on Fridays, they are buttery warm and you cannot help yourself to sneak one. I don't work for them but I am a #1 fan. I did not buy any other food b/c I wanted to stick to trying pierogies as this was my first time there but all the shish ka bobs/meat on stick/sausage looked and smelled sooooooooo good. I will try that food on the last day this time. They had pretty drinks out of halved pineapples and your typical elephant ears and nuts. Chinese food and a mexican booth was there but I was not there for that and I don't think others were but after what I experienced, I might just try them....LOL....nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the other food looked much better. There is a guy who is selling fresh sausage. He is out of Highland. I cannot remember his name but he offers samples, which is the best thing you can do. It sold me. It was wonderful...excellent flavor but heck, that is just 1 place I tried. Oh, and take your dog! I saw a good amount there and there is a cooling booth that mists water. OKAY - WENT ON SUNDAY - HA! no i feel my opinions are justified. My mom, who never had been there before agreed - it was aweful. prices too high - my God, 1 pierogie the size of a quarter was a buck and aweful to boot! We had fried green tomatoes....I won't comment - fried food is exactly that - fried foo. blah! We took our dogs - got lots of hooplah but the place filled up quickly on Sunday whereas I was there on Friday when it first opened - which if you don't like crowds, that is the best time to go. HONESTLY, SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just because they say its a place to be does not mean you have to go there....yuck! nothing special..... read more

One of Indiana's best festivals. I am not sure why "Buttera" gave it one star without even attending the fesival simply because people charged for parking -- that's pretty typical of any festival, and there is plenty of parking on the side streets, if you don't mind walking a couple of blocks. The various pierogi vendors are creative and fun. Piergoi are very affordable, and the best are worth standing in line for. There are also tons of booths with typical fair junk food, but why would you even bother? There are potato-cheddar pierogi, spinach, mushroom, pizza, beef . . . And don't miss the Calumet Bakery and Lykos European Market, which serves delicious stuffed cabbage and has a lively collection of homemade food to take home, as well as what looks like the owner's cast-off from Meijer and other stores. There are several stages with music, and a large beer garden. Performers do traditional Polish dances, and there's a polka contest, but it's also very tongue-in-cheek: the polka contest is hosted by Polkahontas, there's a dunk-a-nun booth, a Mr. Pierogi, etc. Definitely worth a road trip on a nice July weekend. read more

Great festival delicous food !!! Oh so much food !!! Nice crafts!!

Went there today and loved it!!!! First time and we will be going back next year!!!! We got there when it opened, which was great. Had to park far, but a good walk for all the eating. Many pierogi places are $1 each, so we tried lots!!!! They have craft vendors too. We also bought a mug of rootbeer for $10 and then filled it up for free the rest of the day. My husband had fun at the dunk a nun booth. Lots of things for families!!!! Just a really nice and yummy fest!!!!! read more

This was the second time I've gone. The first one several years earlier was much more fun. I'm Polish so I expected a Polish fest. It was a Food Fest with block after block of food booths on both sides of the street. Definitely a mix of all kinds of food that one would find at any county fair or festival. Yes, many booths did have Polish food, but pierogi at $1 for tiny 1-1/2 inch ones? You can get store bought at a dozen for $3.50, or at the Alexandria's outlet on Chicago's north side for under $3 a dozen, all kinds. I went on a Saturday night and there was very little Polish connection. A polka band at the far end, near the beer garden was it. I learned too late the main event, the parade, was only held on Friday night. A few grandma dressed women was the only other street display. If you want more visual entertainment, the various food booth signs offered a good reason to bring a camera. There was even a sign suggesting which wines went best with what kind of pierogi. More ongoing connection with the Polish community, funny or serious would be helpful. Two highlights for me. The Chamber of Commerce office offered a good display of things to be purchased as a reminder of the fest. The window display with its various Polish costumed statuary was fun to see. The best place had hardly any customers. It was a genuine Polish deli, a neighborhood regular. They had huge homemade bread loaves at $6.00. I brought one home. I wish I had gotten several. So very, very good. At the end of the day they still had several left. If you want to know what genuine Polish food is, go to Amazon and get a copy of Treasured Polish Recipes for Americans. Just reading these recipes will make you want to become a Polish cook. The publishing house did offer other books on Polish customs, etc. Now if the Chamber of Commerce offered these books in their offices, it would be a genuine Polish fest. As a side note, the fest will always be called Froggie Fest in my mind when I heard one person who had no idea what pierogi was could only think it might be Froggie Fest. read more

This festival is worth visiting all the way from Atlanta! No one knows what a pierogi is down here. So, it's such a treat to make my way to Whiting at least once a year and celebrate the Pierogi properly. It can get a little crowded and REALLY hot at this time of year. But, that little bit of suffering is worth the joy of sampling various pierogis and other dishes. Plus, where else am I going to buy a "Proud to be Polish" onesie?!?!? read more

Pierogi Fest...NW Indiana's big festival of the year. Sure, it's not Taste of Chicago...and the bands aren't current cover bands that would appeal to the masses (a downfall they haven't fixed yet - more below)...but it's a great fest to hit at the end of July to eat and shop. Tips for the organizers. People are coming in from out of town - young people like myself, mid thirties, from Chicago who love food and love to shop but it would be great to hear some cool bands at atleast one stage where I could sit, eat my Pierogis, drink my beer - oops I mean Lemonade - and enjoy the music. Probably 90% of the people coming to your event aren't necessarily Polish but we want to come enjoy your fest. It's great to have a Polish feel (I met Mr. Pierogi and some other woman dressed as a dessert I think) but even the Irish fest I go to here in Chicago has more than Irish bands to appeal to everyone. Cover bands are a great way to keep people at the event eating and enjoying the fest. Highlights (besided the food): We loved the Hey, Nice Pierogi t-shirts (hilarious), dunked some guy in a dunk case, the beer garden (where's more imports...it's an ethnic fest!!!), cigar folks, kitchiness, weather and the food of course. Folks are friendly too. Lolights: Entertainment (or lack of general mass appeal), lame beers to choose from, lines for food (expected but a downer). That's about it. A must "go to" at least once but if you are a fest junkie like me - it's right up there with the best of them and may be one of the better small fests if at least one stage featured great music all day/night. Viva la dumpling. read more

i go every year. this year i had to miss it for a party, and i was very sad. i like to go early, and eat my way through the stands. my favorite are the giant fried pierogis. they are in a little red cart. don't get the polish noodles from him though, there is too much fennel for me. last year i got to kiss Mr Pierogi on the cheek. next year i might try for the lips. sorry to my hubs, but Mr Pierogi has it goin on. read more

One of the few things in this super small town to look forward to each year. It is packed to the brim with great food, sweaty people, and awesome music. There isn't a year that I haven't gone if I'm in town. The parade is fun to watch, and it is something that everyone should experience if given the chance! read more

It was so fun and random. Food was good, even if you dont love pierogi.....there were some damn good tacos too. Lots of AMAZING people watching, miller products and pierogi eating and throwing contests! It was a great way to spend the day. read more

I love this fest because it delivers what it promises - pierogis, and lots of them! There is SO MUCH food here and such a vast variety that it's worth the 1+ hour drive once a year to attend. read more

It's a decent fest centering around polish food called perogis. Some of the vendor's have really good ones and others are just mediocre. It was a pretty good time, but I like Chicago fests a little more. It's better earlier before all of the trouble wannabe gang banger high school kids get there. read more

First time at the festival, got there when it opened and it was already crowded, trolley bus never showed up to take us there, so my husband and I had to walk from the BP parking lot all the way to the festival, and we both have problems walking, food was just ok, not a whole lot of places to sit down and rest. When leaving the driver of the trolley passed our stop and instead of just turning around, went all the way back to the festival to pick up people and make her stops all over again, very frustrating, probably won't go back read more

the fest had just what I expected and wanted, a great variety of pierogi, golabki, kielbasa, and haluski. In our Dom Polski here in Seattle, the ladies are good cooks but have only 3 varieties of pierogi for the regular meals and bazaars, and only 7 varieties for their pierogi fest. They have only 2 varieties of golabki, 1 type of kielbasa, and no haluski. I was really happy that one of the varieties of kielbasa at the fest was fresh (unsmoked). My babcia taught me to cook Polish starting when I was 4 years old, and she was by far the best cook I've ever known. All the couples that came over from Poland with my babcia and dziadek all lived on the same block with us, and the way it worked was each lady cooked enough of one item so each family got some. And it was competitive, my nalesniki are better than yours, my kielbasa is better than yours, my pierogi are better than yours, etc. etc. We were all in seventh heaven. I still have a hard time deciding between kielbasa with pork only, or kielbasa with a pork-veal combination. And then when I moved from Detroit, I did the cooking, so I really know what I want. The food at the fest was reasonable in taste. And what you got would be the same sort of thing like if you went to a Taste of Chicago, some things tasted better than others. What really made the fest for me was the music and dancing. Real live Polish polka/oberek/waltz bands. it has been so long ago for me. And it helped that it was Chicago style polkas. You know that Chicago has always played their polkas slower than Detroit, and since I'm out of shape, it helped me to last all the way through the dances. There were a reasonable number of really good dancers. I'm coming back for the future years' pierogi fests. I'm only sorry I didn't start coming sooner. read more

Very fun festival, but can be a bit mobbed. Good on Friday if you can see parade.