A new date and site, extremely hot weather and not a lot of advance notice made for some challenges, but it wasn’t enough to keep people from their favorite Polish culinary choices.
After canceling the annual Polish Festival, St. Hedwig Parish in Wilmington teamed up with the Wilmington and Western Railroad to create an alternate event.
The Red Clay Valley Sommerfest started July 18 and ran through July 20 at Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport Gap Pike, near the intersection of Kirkwood Highway and Route 41.
Sommerfest included Polish Festival favorites such as pierogis, golabki and kielbasa. There was live polka music, along with Polish beer and baked goods. The Wilmington and Western offered journeys on its vintage train through the Red Clay Valley.
More information is available at RCVSommerfest.com.
The Polish Festival would have celebrated its 63rd year in 2019. It was canceled because access to land on the Wilmington riverfront where it was held was reduced because of construction. It had been held on the riverfront since 2006.
