Fri 11/28-Sat 11/29

Cleveland is a polka town.  The roots go back well over 100 years when Slovenians brought their distinct take on the music with them when they settled in Northeast Ohio. That reputation was sealed after World War II when the local bars filled with polka bars, producing a star in Frankie Yankovic who had two million-selling records. And many people still around remember growing up on the Polka Varieties TV show, and starting their music careers not with a guitar but an accordion.

It was 61 years ago when local polka promoter/radio personality Tony Petkovsek, who passed away in 2019, started the annual Thanksgiving Polka Weekend, attracting polka enthusiasts from around the country for a weekend of music, dancing and Slovenian food. It’s hosted, of course, by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, located in Euclid, and includes its induction event as part of the weekend.

The entertainment includes local musicians and those who’ve come from away, established and rising stars. Familiar faces include Canadian Polka King Walter Ostanek, now 90, Joey Miskulin who got his start as a teenager with Yankovic’s and and is now a successful Nashville session player, and local mainstays such as Joey Tomsick, Eddie Roddick, Kathy Hlad and Bob Kravos. There are younger performers as well, keeping the polka flame burning, such as squeezebox player Mollie B and the Festa Band. A full roster of performers will be pumping out the polkas and waltzes and keeping the dance floor at the Holiday Inn Cleveland South in independence filled all weekend.

The Polka Music Awards inductions and the beloved Polka Mass take place on Saturday, followed by more hours of dancing, and the All-Star Accordion Jam with a plethora of accordionists joyously bumping elbows. Slovenian food and polka merch will be available all weekend too.

For full information and tickets call 216-261-3263 or email PolkaShop@aol.com.