2023 Portland Polish Festival

Photo courtesy of Portland Polish Festival

Experience the food, dance and music of Poland. The annual Polish Festival in Portland returns with a full weekend of free, family-friendly activities. 

Started in 1993, the Polish Festival is the oldest Polish festival in the Western United States. This event celebrates Polish culture, traditions and achievements.

Here are the details about the 2023 event. 

2023 Polish Festival in Portland

The Polish Festival is September 16-17, 2023. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

This event features authentic Polish food, live music and dance performances, history and culture exhibits, children’s activities, polka contests, local merchants, and a beer garden.

This event takes its delicious eats seriously. In fact, more than 15,000 pierogi are expected to be consumed during the weekend! Get ready for lots of Polish delicacies, including bigos, kielbasa, lacki ziemniaczane, chrusty, sernik and more. 

Vendor booths are selling Polish-inspired jewelry, arts and crafts, pottery, cookbooks and clothes.

More than 60 dancers and musicians from the Pacific Northwest and Poland perform at the event. Here are the performance schedule for each day: 

Saturday, September 16

• 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Polish music
• 12–12:15 p.m. Opening remarks
• 12:15-12:45 p.m. Zabavva band
• 12:45-1 p.m. Lajkonik dance group
• 1-1:50 p.m. Polish School performances
• 1:50-2:35 p.m. Susse Fusse dance group
• 2:35-3 p.m. Lajkonik dance group
• 3-3:30 p.m. Official dedication ceremony*
• 3:30-3:45 p.m. Lajkonik dance group
• 3:45-4 p.m. Polish Folk Costumes show
• 4-7:30 p.m. Kapella Blaser-Faver folk band
• 5-5:30 p.m. Polka contest for children with Kapella Blaser-Faver band
• 6-6:30 p.m. Polka contest for adults with Kapella Blaser-Faver band
• 7:30–10 p.m. Zabavva band and street dance

Sunday, September 17

• 12-12:10 p.m. Festival opening remarks
• 12:10-12:20 p.m. Lajkonik dance group
• 12:20-12:30 p.m. Polish Fencing Demonstration with Magda i Adam Skarbonkiewicz
• 12:30-1 p.m. Zabavva band
• 1-1:15 p.m. Lajkonik dance group
• 1:20-2:10 p.m. Polish School performances
• 2:10-2:25 p.m. Lajkonik dance group
• 2:25-2:45 p.m. Polish Folk Costumes show
• 2:45-3 p.m. Lajkonik dance group
• 3-3:40 p.m. Polka contest for children
• 3:40-4:20 p.m. Polka contest for adults
• 4:20-6:00 p.m. Zabavva band

The Polish Festival is a free, all ages event. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

It is held at Polish Hall, 3900 N Interstate Ave. in Portland. For more information, visit the Polish Festival’s website. 

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