The 59th annual Thanksgiving Polka Weekend, presented by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, will take place Nov. 24 and 25 and will again feature a festival of music and dancing.
The Holiday Inn Cleveland South in Independence becomes America’s polka headquarters with the finest Cleveland-Style entertainers, plus Denis Novato, the world diatonic accordion champion in a rare U.S. appearance, according to a news release. The high point is the 2023 Polka Music Awards Show in the Grand Ballroom on Nov. 25.
Novato has won more than 20 competitions, including the world diatonic championship. Of his many recordings, the Slovenian native of Trieste, Italy, is especially proud of his appearance on a Grammy-nominated album of Walter Ostanek, Canada’s Polka King, who will perform, the release stated.
Joey Miskulin, the Grammy-winning accordionist from Nashville’s Riders in the Sky, also will perform.
Ten Cleveland-Style and Slovenian-Style orchestras and entertainers will play for two days of dancing.
The line-up includes Frankenmuth’s Sweetheart Linda Lee Brown, Hall of Famer Eddie Rodick, Youngstown’s Bill Bevec Band, the Polka Classics from Detroit, Clevelanders Fred Ziwich and Anthony Culkar, and Klancnik and Friends, the release stated.
Music is Nov. 24 from 2 p.m. to midnight and Nov. 25 from 5 p.m. to midnight.
The curtain rises on the Polka Music Awards Show on Nov. 25, at 1 p.m., with Novato and spotlight tributes to the new Hall of Famers. After the stage show, Father Norm Gajdzinski and Kathy Hlad and Friends celebrate the Polka Mass.
There is also a potica nut roll baking demonstration at 10 a.m. Nov. 25. Attendees also can find polka-themed gifts and recordings in the Polka Pop-up Shop.
Dance admission Nov. 24 and Nov. 25 is $20 per person while Awards Show tickets are $25 each.
Save $10 with a Weekend Polka Pass — both dances and the Awards Show are $55 per person. The Saturday Show and Dance Duo ticket is $35 each.
Those 18 and under free get in for free and parking is free.
For dance and show tickets, call the Polka Hall of Fame at 216-261-FAME or 866-66-POLKA, or email PolkaShop@aol.com.
The Polka Hall of Fame is in the historic old Euclid City Hall, 605 E. 222nd St. and is open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
