Pittsburgh Polishfest keeps Old Country traditions alive
A piece of Christine Forrest's childhood came back to her as she walked past small oplatek wafers at a table.
Her grandmother used to make the traditional Polish Christmas wafers shared at the Christmas Eve meal.
“We would each take a piece, and we would share it around and say a prayer,” Forrest said, turning to her 8-year-old daughter Juliet. “I was about her age.”
Oplatek wafers were just one of the many parts of the Old Country on display Sunday during the 31st annual Pittsburgh Polishfest in the Commons Room of the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning.
Traditional Polish folk music filled the room as dancers twirled and whirled. There was stuffed cabbage, pierogies, haluski and kielbasa and sauerkraut. Father Miro Stelmaszczyk served traditional Polish pastries like nalesniki, kolachi, croquette, a pazcki filled with rose jam – that was Juliet's favorite – and crustiki, which sold out fast.
This was the first Polishfest for Bob Gnieski, 53, and his daughter, Jenna, 18, who came to Oakland from Harrison City.
“We decided to drive down and see what our heritage is,” he said.
The Pittsburgh area has a strong Polish heritage, said Lawrence Kozlowski, director of Polishfest and who was dressed like St. Nickolas for the event. More than 22,000 people reported being of Polish ancestry in Allegheny County, according to the most recent Census figures, ranking it the fourth most common ancestry behind German, Irish and Italian. Kozlowski said the festival draws between 4,000 and 5,000 people.
Kozlowski said Sunday's festival was about celebrating the Old Country without leaving Pittsburgh.
“We hope that they will take something, one or two things, that will help them keep alive the memory of their ancestors that came here,” Kozlowski said.
That was true for Barbara Braidic, who wore a red apron that read Polski Kucharz, Polish Cook, as she made the oplatek wafers on a hot iron. She remembered her grandfather, a parish organist, making the wafers using a big, metal iron that he would heat over a fire.
“It's a nice custom,” she said.
Aaron Aupperlee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach Aupperlee at aaupperlee@tribweb.com.
