Kielbasi Fest draws thousands to downtown
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - Crowds pack North Main Street for Kielbasi Fest on May 18, 2019 in downtown Shenandoah.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
SHENANDOAH – Aided by beautiful weather, and despite scheduling conflicts with other events in the county, thousands from as near as town and as far as Illinois came out for the 12th annual Kielbasi Festival.
At midday, space on North Main Street was at a premium as attendees browsed the festival, seeing what each vendor had to offer. Lines from Kowalonek’s, Lucky’s, and the Hookies’ stands stretched the length of the block at times.
“[The event was] great. It was really good, we’re thankful that the town has it,” said Jessica Hannis, Kowalonek’s manager. “It’s not just a great day for our business, but it’s good for our town.”
Hannis added that the stand sold out earlier than expected, citing the mid-70 degree weather as a draw for crowds.
“Today was a great turnout,” said David “Lucky” Lukashunas, Lucky’s owner. “It was a nice event… Overall, great event. Great for the community, and it’s not about one shop or the other, it’s bringing everybody out to meet good friends, enjoy the meals and the vendors.”
Lukashunas, along with Kowalonek’s owner Mark Kowalonek and Capitol owner Mike Stanakis, considered the three “kielbasi kings” of Shenandoah, judged the annual kielbasi cook-off. In two categories, people were invited to submit their homemade kielbasi in either the fresh or smoked category, permitting they don’t make it for commercial purposes. 19 entries were received, ten fresh and nine smoked.
The three sampled and scored each entry on texture, taste, and appearance.
The winners in the fresh category were Steve Oravitz, first, and Stanley Bokunewicz, 2nd. In the smoked category, James Santai was first, and Richard Baver 2nd. Winners received trophies topped with a pig ornament.
About Author
