Taste of Polonia
Encyclopedia
The Taste of Polonia is a Chicago festival held at the Copernicus Cultural and Civic Center in the Jefferson Park
community area
of Chicago
in Cook County
, Illinois
, United States
every Labor Day
weekend since 1979. It is the Copernicus Foundation
's major fundraiser and a four-day celebration of Polish cultural heritage
, traditions, and customs. The Taste of Polonia features delicious Polish cuisine
, entertainment on three stages, as well as numerous Polish handcrafters and artisans.
The festival attracts attendees from Chicago's Northwest Side, the rest of Chicago, and outlying areas in the region. It draws both Chicago's Polish community
as well as people of other ethnic backgrounds. Taste of Polonia is the largest ethnic festival in Chicago, drawing crowds between 40,000 to 60,000 each year over the span of four days.
As one of Chicago Polonia
's chief festivals, numerous local and national politicians have made it a stop on their campaign trail during the election season. In 1992, the Taste of Polonia was honored by the presence of and hosted by President
George H. W. Bush
. In 2000, the fest was visited by Vice-President Dick Cheney
, Tipper Gore
, and Hadassah Lieberman
. Former House Speaker
Newt Gingrich
and his wife Callista
came to the festival on September 4th, 2011 during the Republican Primaries for the office of President of The United States
to screen the documentary
9 Days That Changed the World that the couple coproduced .
Jefferson Park, Chicago
Jefferson Park is one of Chicago's 77 well-defined community areas located on the city's Northwest Side. The neighborhood of Jefferson Park occupies a larger swath of territory than the community area by including within it land of adjacent community areas...
community area
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
every Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend since 1979. It is the Copernicus Foundation
Copernicus Foundation
The Copernicus Foundation is a 501 not for profit organization based in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It was founded by Poles in Chicago in 1971 in order to raise funds towards raising a monument for the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus to be set in front of the Adler...
's major fundraiser and a four-day celebration of Polish cultural heritage
Culture of Poland
The culture of Poland is closely connected with its intricate 1000 year history Its unique character developed as a result of its geography at the confluence of various European regions...
, traditions, and customs. The Taste of Polonia features delicious Polish cuisine
Polish cuisine
Polish cuisine is a style of cooking and food preparation originating from Poland. It has evolved over the centuries due to historical circumstances. Polish national cuisine shares some similarities with other Central European and Eastern European traditions as well as French and Italian...
, entertainment on three stages, as well as numerous Polish handcrafters and artisans.
The festival attracts attendees from Chicago's Northwest Side, the rest of Chicago, and outlying areas in the region. It draws both Chicago's Polish community
Poles in Chicago
Chicago Polonia, refers to both immigrant Poles and Americans of Polish heritage living in Chicago, Illinois. They are a part of worldwide Polonia, the proper term for the Polish Diaspora outside of Poland. Poles in Chicago have contributed to the economic, social and cultural well-being of Chicago...
as well as people of other ethnic backgrounds. Taste of Polonia is the largest ethnic festival in Chicago, drawing crowds between 40,000 to 60,000 each year over the span of four days.
As one of Chicago Polonia
Polonia
The Polish diaspora refers to people of Polish origin who live outside Poland. The Polish diaspora is also known in modern Polish language as Polonia, which is the name for Poland in Latin and in many other Romance languages....
's chief festivals, numerous local and national politicians have made it a stop on their campaign trail during the election season. In 1992, the Taste of Polonia was honored by the presence of and hosted by President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
. In 2000, the fest was visited by Vice-President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
, Tipper Gore
Tipper Gore
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore , née Aitcheson, is an author, photographer, former second lady of the United States, and the estranged wife of Al Gore...
, and Hadassah Lieberman
Hadassah Lieberman
Hadassah Lieberman is the wife of United States Senator Joseph Lieberman .-Biography:She was born Hadassah Freilich in a refugee camp in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Her parents were both Holocaust survivors. Her father was Samuel Freilich, a lawyer and rabbi from Munkács, in the Carpathian Ruthenia...
. Former House Speaker
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
and his wife Callista
Callista Gingrich
Callista Louise Gingrich, née Bisek is the wife of former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, and the President of Gingrich Productions, a multimedia production company based in Washington, DC....
came to the festival on September 4th, 2011 during the Republican Primaries for the office of President of The United States
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2012
The 2012 Republican presidential primaries are the selection processes in which voters of the Republican Party will choose their nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 presidential election. The primary contest began with a fairly wide field, and is the first presidential primary...
to screen the documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
9 Days That Changed the World that the couple coproduced .