Don’t miss an opportunity to give thanks at the Corpus Christi Church in Buffalo during their 29th annual Dozynki Harvest Festival.
The festival will take place from August 23 to 24, and is the Polish equivalent to America’s Thanksgiving holiday, as it is meant to bring people together in a spirit of appreciation for all we have been given. “People should attend this event because it’s the longest running harvest festival in Western New York and it’s a chance for people to give thanks for the gifts we receive. There will also be a special mass, music, and fun,” Father Anzelm stated.
The celebration kicks off on Saturday the 23rd at 11:30 AM with a farmers market and flea market. From 2 to 7 PM, pork and beef rollup dinners will be available to guests. Additionally, guests can look forward to entering a “Best Homemade Pierogi Contest” that will begin at 5:30 PM. During all of these great events the sounds of “Al Kania’s Polka Band” will fill the air during the afternoon and “Those Idiots” will offer entertainment in the evening as they perform under the big tent.
On Sunday the festival will begin at 12:30 PM with Chicken dinners all day until 6 PM. The afternoon will be filled with music by Joe Macielag’s Pic-A-Polka Band and a performance by the Krakowiacy Dancers of Eugenia’s Dance Studio. At 4:30 PM, pianist Ivan Docenko will perform Chopin and Paderewski inside the church, which will be followed by “Diva by Diva” star Mary Kate O’Connell singing sacred and secular songs. At 6:30 PM guests will have the opportunity to make their own music in Buffalo’s Biggest Polish Sing-Along and Jam, so don’t forget your voices and instruments.
Prior to the beginning of the festival on Sunday there will be a Mass at 11:30 AM, at which a specially baked bread will be offered with a wreath made of grains and wildflowers. “As a priest I am looking forward to the Mass. It is the most important part of the festival to me,” Anzelm said. Father Anzelm, Bruce Woody and the Corpus Christi Choir will also perform special liturgical music for the Mass. “The musical performance will include a guitar, piano, and choir playing Polish and English songs. It will be fun because people are not used to a priest performing music during Mass,” Anzelm revealed.
Last year at the Polish Harvest Festival
In addition to the polish dance, music, food, and drinks, guests will have a chance to win two round-trip airfares to Poland, theme baskets and other prizes during a raffle. Raffle tickets are available at JABCO General Store at the Broadway Market and through the church at 716.896.1050 or Vicki at 716.812.2524.
Admission is free to this festival and all proceeds raised during the celebration will support the church’s historic restoration. The church is undergoing restorations that will include repair of the rose stained glass window above the choir loft, which is one of the largest stained glass windows in Western New York. Fundraising is also currently underway to match a grant in the amount of $450,000 from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund for restoration of the church roof and bell/clock tower. Currently, the church has raised $290,000 to match the grant.
“The restoration of the church is important to us. People do not come here and see the beauty of the church because of where it’s located, so when people do come in they are surprised that an abandoned neighborhood has such a beautiful church. The restoration signifies our faith to the people who built it,” Anzelm explained.
Come out and emerge yourself in Polish culture while helping contribute to the renovation of the Corpus Christi Church, which was recently designated a New York State Landmark and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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