Events 2004

Dec 6, 11:30 am: Roller-skater from Poland finishes trek at Microsoft campus

After skating over 3,000 miles, Krzysztof Dzienniak will go for the last leg of his trek on Monday morning to arrive at Microsoft Redmond campus about 11 am. Please come to show him your support by rooting for him at the finish line! After greeting by Microsoft PR people he will have lunch with Polish Microsoft employees and then would tour the company. To support his goal of raising money for the two girls back in Poland, please donate money to SOS Children Villages, which is a charity with branches in USA and in Poland.

Where: at the Microsoft campus sports field, at the corner of NE 36^th St & 159^th Ave NE.

More: SOS Children Villages

Nov 14, 2:30 pm: Poland’s Independence Day celebration at the Polish Home

Poland regained its independence on Nov 11, 1918, when Jozef Pilsudski became the Head of State after a popular revolt at the Polish territories led to a formation of the reborn state. The anniversary celebration program includes: 1) invocation by Fr. Stanislaw Michalek, 2) performances by children from the Polish School and the Polish Scout Troop, 3) Concert by the Polish Song Choir directed by Anna Sawicki. The restaurant and the bar will be open from 1:30 pm till after the concert.

Where: at the Polish Home, 1714 18^th Ave in Seattle, admission free.

More: Polish Home , Barbara Strutynski, (425) 746-3037

Nov 13, 7 pm: 10 years anniversary of the Society for Polish Culture in Kirkland

The Society for Polish Culture (Towarzystwo Milosnikow Kultury Polskiej) celebrates its 10 years anniversary at a special evening for SPC members and invited guests. The program includes: 1) anniversary reminiscences by SPC founders Jerzy Janeczek and Andrzej Studenny 2) Concert of Polish poetry in songs, Wesele Poety, by Tomasz Aleksander and Marzanna Bachowska , 3)  cocktail party. Congratulations!

Where: at the Kirkland Woman’s Club, 401 1st Street Kirkland; admission for members and by invitation only

More: TMKP

Nov 6-7, noon – 7 pm: Fall Bazaar at the Polish Home

The biggest such event around Puget Sound, the Polish fall bazaar features booths with Polish books and CDs, crafts and other merchandize as well as booths manned by various local Polish-American organizations. You can also buy Christmas ornaments and wafers (oplatki), Polish pierogi, cakes and sweets as well as have a full course dinner prepared by the ladies. Home made Polish pickle contest as well as a raffle will be held on Sunday. Organized by the Ladies Auxiliary. Musical attractions: Saturday, around 3 pm, Podhale Highlander Singers, Sunday, around 2:30 pm Polish Song Choir

Where: at the Polish Home, 1714 18^th Ave in Seattle, admission free.

More: Polish Home

Our neighbors from the Capitol Hill invite to the 33rd Russian annual bazaar. Russian handicrafts, icons, books and other souvenirs as well as traditional foods such as borscht, pelmeni. pirozhki and pastries will be available. One sure attraction is a live music by a balalaika ensemble and a choral song groups. The Orthodox Cathedral will be also open for bazaar visitors with Fr. Alexi Kotar serving as the guide.

Where: at the Hall of the Saint Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, 1714 13th Ave, Seattle; admission free.

More: Saint Nicholas Cathedral

Oct 23, 7:30 pm: A Gombrowicz spectacle in Vancouver, BC

Witold Gombrowicz

Polish Association Zgoda and Teatr Popularny from Vancouver, BC, invite to a spectacle Witold Gombrowicz: Pol blazna, pol panicza directed by Jerzy Kopczewski. The text in Polish, selected and arranged by Andrzej Jar and Jerzy Kopczewski is based on two popular novels by Gombrowicz, Ferdydurke and Trans-Atlantyk. The cast includes Jerzy Janeczek from Seattle area. This being the Gombrowicz’s year in Poland (it’s the 100th anniversary of his birth), the spectacle will be introduce by Prof. Bohdan Czaykowski of UBC.

Where: Norman Rothstein Theatre, 950 W. 41 Avenue, Vancouver, B.C; tickets $20

More: About Witold Gombrowicz

 CANCELLED -Oct 15, 8 pm: Cabaret Pod Banka at the Polish Home - CANCELLED

The NW tour of the Cabaret Pod Banka through Vancouver, Seattle & Portland has been canceled. Sold tickets are reimbursed in full. To get your money back please contact the person you bought the tickets from.

Where: at the Polish Home, 1714 18^th Ave in Seattle

More: Polish Home, Barbara Strutynski, (425) 746-3037

The 11th Polish Festival in Portland is the main event staged each year by the Polish community in Portland. They say it is the biggest Polish event in the US west of Mississippi – and with over 12,000 visitors I believe it! The Festival features two full days of non-stop folk performances, exhibitions of Polish heritage, heaps of homemade Polish food as well as booths with various merchandize. The Polish Song Choir from Seattle under dir. of Anna Sawicki is scheduled to perform on Sunday at noon and at 1:30 pm.

Where: St. Stanislaus Church & The Polish Hall & Library, 3900 N. Interstate Ave., Portland, OR.

More: www.PortlandPolonia.org

Sep 19, 2 pm:  Warsaw Rising 1944: concert at the Polish Home

This event organized by the Polish Home Association celebrates the heroism of the Uprising through music and poetry and consists of three parts. Part.1. A concert of Polish patriotic songs by the Polish Song Choir under direction of Anna Sawicki, Part.2. A performance We, Warsaw Children Will Fight for You, featuring poetry & songs in scenes from the Uprising by the performance group from the Polish Home in Seattle under direction of Barbara Strutynski, Part.3. A piano concert by Iwona Kaminska-Bowlby, the local artist we all know. Ms. Kaminska-Bowlby will play Chopin Sonata H moll op. 58 to honor the memory of her father, Jozef Kaminski ('Ziutek') who fought in the Old Town district of Warsaw

Where: at the Polish Home, admission free

More: concert: Barbara Strutynski, (425) 746-303);  details of other events at the PHF website.

Aug 28, 8 pm: Ferdydurke monodrama in Tacoma

Witold Gombrowicz

The Polish Parish in Tacoma invites to a monodrama by Jerzy Kopczewski based on the novel by Witold Gombrowicz. Ferdydurke, published in 1937, was the first and is the best known of his novels. Through a unique style of satire and grotesque it deals famously with issues of youth, immaturity and refusal to take on masks & molds of the traditional society and in the process skewers some Polish sacred cows. Vancouver based Mr. Kopczewski, an actor from the famous Piwnica Pod Baranami (Under the Rams) in Cracow, specializes in monodramas. This being the Gombrowicz’s Year in Poland (the writer was born 1904), Mr. Kopczewski added also The Transatlantic to his monodrama repertoire.

Where: at the Parish Hall of Sts. Peter and Paul’s Church, 3422 Portland Ave E, Tacoma; tickets $10, in Polish

More:  about Gombrowicz

Aug 22, 2:30 pm:  Soldier's Day celebration at the Polish Home

An anniversary of the victorious Battle of Warsaw, Aug 15, 1920, is the official holiday for the armed forces in Poland and a day to celebrate Polish military traditions. Polish Home invites to a commemorating program At the Fireplace featuring patriotic songs and poetry and to a meeting with the WWII veterans from our community. Cdr. M. Bialowski Benett, Lt. A. Byrski, Lt. J. Friedrych, Maj. A. Herbst and Maj. A. Tomalik will share their experience with the younger generations. The event includes an exhibit about the veterans, including late Cdr. W. Pacewicz, prepared by K. Poraj-Kuczewski as well as a slide presentation about them prepared by V. Kaczynski. A traditional Polish dinner will be available, prepared by the Ladies Auxiliary.

Where: at the Polish Home, admission free

More: Barbara Strutynski

June 18, 8 pm - Konopielka at the Polish Home, in Polish

Konopielka is a novel by Edward Redlinski that was a bestseller when published in 1973; it was immediately adapted as a bestselling play and as a hit movie in 1981. This story set in 1950s Poland about down to earth peasant mentality confronted with urban civilization and progressive thinking has been prepared for stage as a monodrama by Jerzy Kopczewski. Mr. Kopczewski, nicknamed Buleczka, an actor from the famous Piwnica Pod Baranami (Under Rams) in Cracow, performed monodramas in Seattle and Vancouver with a great success. Comedy for adults only, in Polish.

Where: at the Polish Home, 1714 18^th Ave. Seattle; tickets $16 regular, $14 PHA members, $12 advanced; ticket price includes a glass of wine for Dads due to Father’s Day!

More: Redlinski: http://www.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/os_redlinski_edward

May 15-16 - UW Slavic Fest at the Polish Home & UW

This new Festival celebrating Slavic cultures and especially music evolved from Cyril and Methodius celebrations in the past. It is organized be the Slavic Dept of UW and the Slavic Alumni Club. The program includes:

Where: Polish Home, 1714 18^th Ave. Seattle, Kane Hall at the UW Campus in Seattle;

More: Full schedule etc. at http://www.washington.edu/alumni/clubs/slavic/2004fest.html