From kielbasa to polka to centuries-old traditional dance, the Boston Polish Festival is preparing to feature the best of the Polish culture in Dorchester’s Polish Triangle next Sunday (May 19).

The annual street festival on Boston Street adjacent to the Polish American Citizens Club began in 2015 as a kielbasa cook-off, but now, says Erica Manczuk Stocks of the Polish American Citizens Club, “It has become so much more and evolved into a cool neighborhood street festival party that focuses on the Polish culture, the Polish Triangle, and Dorchester in general.

“You don’t have to be Polish to participate. We make it a community event for everyone, but we want to showcase ourselves, too. Sometimes we say the Polish Triangle, and nobody knows what we’re talking about. It was the center of the Polish community for a long, long time.

“Things have changed here,” she noted, “but there are a lot of people who came to the country from Poland and settled in the Triangle and started businesses and lives here, and many who are still here.”

There will be plenty of food, including kielbasa, pierogi, and paczki, and a beer garden with many different Polish beer choices – as well as neighborhood favorites.

“Food is how a lot of people stay rooted in the Polish culture,” said Stocks. “They may not speak the language anymore, but they hold on to the food their grandmother made and it’s a taste of something that feels familiar to them.”

The Krakowiak Polish Dancers of Boston, established in 1937, will be performing, as will their children’s troupe. There will also be a live Polka band on site.

The street will be blocked off on Boston Street for the day, with the party starting at noon.

Schedule of Events
• Noon to 6 p.m. on Boston Street – J Mariusz Wierzbicki, food stalls, street market.

• 12:30 to 4 p.m. – Kids Korner – face-painting from Sully Paints, and balloon twisting from Mr. Twister.

• 1 p.m. – Opening ceremony inside the Polish Club Function Hall, 2nd floor.

• 2 p.m. – Dance performance from Krakowiak Polish Dancers of Boston and the Lajkonika, Polish Children’s Dance Troupe in the Polish Club Function Hall, 2nd floor.

•3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – The Baltic Boys Polka Band in the Polish Club Function Hall, 2nd floor.

For more information, go to bostonpolishfest.com/schedule/.