The Poetry Salon of Seattle (Salon Poezji) invites poetry buffs to a poetic happening Poetry Connects People. My Favorite Poem, encouraging everybody to bring and share their beloved poems. Constantine Sokolov, a Russian bard who writes his own lyrics and music is going to perform his songs, joined in one of them by Marzanna Bachowska, a well known and liked local Polish singer.

Where: at the Polish Home; admission free, donations gladly accepted

More: www.SalonPoezji.org

Polish presence at the Ethnic Fest organized by the St. Louise Parish in Bellevue has a tradition going back decades due to Stan & Lois Leszczynski and other Polish Eastside families. This year the Polish School on the Eastside (located at the St. Louise School) is presenting Polish food, traditions, crafts etc. Besides variety of foods and exhibits from 15+ communities, the Festival also features dances and songs from several communities such as German, Philippino and Mexican.

Where: at the St. Louise Parish Hall, admission free

More: St. Louise Parish, Polish School on the Eastside

This is a popular dance evening at the Polish Home with a guest DJ coming from Portland. The kitchen will be serving snacks and sweets, the bar will be open for the occasion.

Where: at the Polish Home; tickets $15 regular, $12 PHA members, $10 students.

More: www.PolishHome.org

This is a pierogi (Polish dumplings) extravaganza that should be fun for everybody. Several different kinds of pierogi (meat, potato & cheese, kraut & mushroom, plum, berry) will be available in copious amounts for your hearts pleasure or just for sampling. This is all you can eat deal, with additional servings available while you talk leisurely, listen to Polish music and have a good time.Coffee, soft drinks and homemade deserts will also available (not included in the admission price)

Where: at the Polish Home; tickets $12 regular, $8 children (12 and below), kids up to 3 years old free.

More: www.PolishHome.org

Warsaw Village Band

Even though the venue is the Seattle International Children Festival, Warsaw Village Band also gives a special concert for teenagers and grown ups late in the evening in the Seattle International Nights series. This folk revival band with 6 young virtuoso musicians skyrocketed to the top of the charts in Europe and won, among others, 2004 BBC-3 World Music Award for Best Newcomers. They bring ancient Polish melodies, the old white voice signing style and instruments into our techno era with passion that moves everybody.

Where: The Davey Jones at Fisher Pavilion, at the Seattle Center; children shows at 10 am on May 17, 11:30 am on May 18, 10 am on May 19; also a night concert at 8:30 pm on May 19

More: SCF info www.seattleinternational.org/seattle/performers/warsaw.html

Adam Makowicz

Classically trained pianist Adam Makowicz is a Polish jazz virtuoso based in New York, NY. In his career spanning 50 years he was a soloist with National Symphony of Washington and the London Royal Philharmonic and also issued countless albums including recent Reflections on Chopin, Songs for Manhattan and From My Field. His concert will be introduced by a renown Seattle jazz expert, Jim Wilke. A reception with wine etc. will follow the recital. Organized by the UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee.

Where: Sherman Clay Steinway Salon, 1624 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, (206) 622-7580; required donation $30 regular, $15 students; reservations Ewa Poraj-Kuczewska (206) 362-3829, or at [email protected].

Warsaw Village Band

A special guest to the Seattle International Children Festival, Warsaw Village Band gives three children shows in the mornings. This folk revival band with 6 young virtuoso musicians skyrocketed to the top of the charts in Europe and won, among others, 2004 BBC-3 World Music Award for Best Newcomers. They bring ancient Polish melodies, the old white voice signing style and instruments into our techno era with passion that moves everybody.

Where: The Davey Jones at Fisher Pavilion, at the Seattle Center; children shows at 10 am on May 17, 11:30 am on May 18, 10 am on May 19; also a night concert at 8:30 pm on May 19

More: SCF info www.seattleinternational.org/seattle/performers/warsaw.html

This is a warm celebration organized by Anna Bieniek and the Polish Scouts group (mostly of Cubs age). The children perform appropriate songs and recitations and everybody is invited to come and have some fun. There will be an informal reception afterwards and the Polish Home restaurant that is open for the occasion invites to a family dinner.

Where: at the Polish Home

More: about Polish scouts and cubs Anna Bieniek,  (425) 280-4858

Vivat Musica!

If you missed it the last year’s sold out event, here is your chance to enjoy a tradition which goes back millennia. The Polish Choir Vivat Musica invites everybody to a joyful evening of music, good food and wine. You can sing along merrily with the members of the Choir and their special guests. The bar at the Polish Home will be open and deserts available as well. The evening is a fundraiser for the Choir to go to the Polonia Choir Festival in Koszalin, Poland, in July 2006.

Where: at the Polish Home; tickets $30 per person

More: reservations & tickets Anna Bieniek (206) 280-4858 and Lucja Korbel (253) 223-8500, for the Choir [email protected]

Gang Marcela

Gang Marcela is a popular Polish band led by Marcel Trojan that started and was noticed in mid-1980s, then made a popular comeback in mid-90s. Their signature music style is country with Polish melodies and motifs. They also produced very popular CDs with Christmas carols.

Where: at the Polish Home, tickets: $15 advanced, $17/$19 PHA members/non members at the door; ticket reservations Ivona Przydzielski (425) 820-1207

More: about the band (in Polish) www.gangmarcela.pl

Kuba Poraj-Kuczewski is an interactive media specialist and an amateur photographer based in Seattle. His photo exhibition, to Warsaw & back, features 12 pictures that are photographic impressions from his trips that also included Paris, Venice, Croatia and Vancouver, BC. Where: Bengtsson Gallery, 5819 Phinney Ave N, Seattle; admission free

More: Contact to Kuba PK (206) 372-2078, [email protected]

Polish Home Building Commission & Fundraising Committee invite everybody interested in the PH expansion project to its monthly meeting at the Polish Home. All interested in the details of the project as well as volunteers are welcome!

Where: at the Polish Home, just drop by; refreshments are provided!

More: www.PolishHomeFoundation.org

Where: at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). Please note – the access from Montlake Blvd through McCurdy park neighborhood is blocked off now, take E Lake Washington Blvd and 24^th Ave E to MOHAI entrance.

More: www.PolishFilms.org

Seattle Polish Film Festival schedule for Saturday, May 6, 2006

Where: at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). Please note – the access from Montlake Blvd through McCurdy park neighborhood is blocked off now, take E Lake Washington Blvd and 24^th Ave E to MOHAI entrance.

More: www.PolishFilms.org

The book for the meeting is Polactwo by Rafal Ziemkiewicz, published by Wyd. Fabryka Snow in 2004. Ziemkiewicz is a freelance journalist and author of 4 books. Polactwo is a scorching and frequently funny criticism of attitudes and politics of contemporary Poles. The book is available on the internet. Please see the club website for more details.

Where: Seattle Public Libraries, the Green Lake branch, 7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N., Seattle, (206) 684-7547

More: Polish Book Club, contact to the Club Hanna Gil, about Rafal Ziemkiewicz

14^th Seattle Polish Film Festival started with a very impressive rooster of films and guests over the first weekend. It continues over May 5-7 weekend with another strong line up and with guest directors Engler and Falk. An additional attraction is the exhibition From Festival to Festival  viewable at MOHAI during the Festival. The exhibit prepared by Krzysztof & Eva Poraj-Kuczewski features photos, posters and programs from the 2005 PFF in Gdynia, Poland. There is also a smaller exhibition of Polish movie posters prepared by Ryszard & Maria Kott at Jerzy’s coffee in Redmond.

Where: at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). Please note – the access from Montlake Blvd through McCurdy park neighborhood is blocked off now, take E Lake Washington Blvd and 24^th Ave E to MOHAI entrance.

More: www.PolishFilms.org

Polish poster art is a world wide phenomenon. Jerzy & Eva Radka, owners of Jerzy’s Coffee invite to the opening night for the Polish movie poster exhibition promoting the Seattle Polish Film Festival. The exhibition features 10 posters from the poster collection of Ryszard & Maria Kott by such masters as Walkuski, Sadowski, Pagowski, Swierzy or Gorka.

Where: Jerzy’s Coffee, 16727 Redmond Way & Cleveland St (behind Exxon gas station), Redmond; April 10 till May 10, 2006; admission free and you can always buy a good coffee or chai!.

More: map to the café: http://mobile.yahoo.com/wifi/search?hsid=86916, contact to Maria & Ryszard Kott [email protected]