Polish National Catholic Church Festival in Houtzdale Draws Record Crowd

Volunteers at St. Barbara Polish National Catholic Church in Houtzdale worked quickly to prepare meals for a long line of festival-goers during the Dozynki Harvest Festival on Sunday. The event, held on the church grounds, attracted a record crowd despite the rain, according to organizers.

The festival featured traditional Polish dishes such as pierogis, haluski, halupki, and kielbasa, alongside hamburgers and hot dogs. The event drew large numbers of attendees, with long lines forming for food. Organizers reported that the festival was the biggest in memory, with significant demand for the offerings.

Chairwoman Crissy Lidgett noted that the church sold out of food, a rare occurrence. Normally, some food is left over and frozen, but this year, only frozen pierogis remained. Lidgett explained that the church prepares 12,000 pierogis for the event, as well as for DelGrosso’s Amusement Park’s Harvestfest in Tipton.

The church’s pierogis are well-known in the region. Last year, they sold 6,000 pierogis at the church festival, which was one of their largest events. Lidgett believes this year’s turnout exceeded that number. She mentioned that the exact totals will be available by Tuesday evening, as the long day on Sunday left little time for final calculations.

All proceeds from the festival go directly to the church, according to Lidgett. The funds, along with income from the sale of pierogis to DelGrosso’s Harvestfest, help sustain the church’s operations. DelGrosso’s requires 10,000 to 12,000 pierogis for its festival, and church volunteers will continue making pierogis on weekends to meet that demand.

DelGrosso’s Amusement Park’s 39th Annual Harvestfest is scheduled for September 26-27, as noted on the company’s website. The church’s continued involvement in food preparation highlights the community’s commitment to both tradition and service, reflecting a spirit of generosity and shared purpose.

Source: Read the original report