Polish Heritage Society of Grand Rapids, MI

08/25/2026

👑 WHO WILL BE OUR NEXT PHS BUSIA QUEEN? COME CAST YOUR VOTE! 🇵🇱✨

Grandmothers are the heart of our families, and this Sunday, August 30, one special Busia will be crowned the 2026–2027 Polish Heritage Society Busia Queen at the Dożynki Polish Harvest Festival!

Every vote counts so bring your family, friends, and biggest cheers downtown to support these wonderful grandmothers!

Sunday Busia Queen Schedule:
🗓️1:45 PM – Contestant Introductions & Voting Officially Begins
🗓️3:00 PM – Voting Closes & Official Coronation of our New Queen

As we prepare to crown our new royalty, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to our reigning Busia Queen, Laurie Lesiewicz. Over the past year, Laurie has selflessly represented the Polish Heritage Society across West Michigan, bringing unmatched warmth, dedication, and joy to the title. Laurie truly took the role to new heights and set a wonderful example of Polish hospitality!

To all of this year's contestants: we celebrate each of you for the unique spirit, stories, and love for Polish heritage that you bring to our community. You are all already royalty in our eyes!

08/24/2026

🇵🇱 GET READY FOR A SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCE! 💃✨

We are thrilled to welcome the amazing PRCUA Malbork Dance Group this Sunday at the 48th Annual Dożynki Polish Harvest Festival!

Come out to Calder Plaza to watch these talented young dancers showcase vibrant traditional Polish folk dances, gorgeous authentic regional costumes, and a true celebration of our rich cultural heritage.

🗓️ When: Sunday, August 30, 2026
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM
📍 Where: Calder Plaza, Downtown Grand Rapids
🎟️ Admission: FREE

Bring your family, cheer on our local youth performers, and experience the beauty of Polish traditions brought to life!

08/24/2026

We're excited to be the Entrance Sponsor for the 48th Annual Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival this weekend at Calder Plaza! Come on out Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

This is the longest running ethnic festival in the city with free admission, entertainment, and kid's activities.

Our very own Teresa Bonham is the President of the Polish Heritage Society and members of our team will also be out volunteering at the festival!

Hope to see you there!

08/24/2026

🍩 THINK YOU CAN HANDLE THE PACZKI POWER?! 🇵🇱
Get ready to cheer on the bravest sweet-tooths in West Michigan (or step up to the plate yourself!) at this weekend’s Pączki Eating Contests during the 48th Annual Dożynki Polish Harvest Festival!

Catch the delicious, powdered-sugar frenzy at the Main Stage / Dance Area:

🗓️Friday, August 28 at 7:00 PM

🗓️Saturday, August 29 at 5:45 PM

Whether you come to compete or cheer from the crowd, it’s going to be an absolute blast.

Tag your friends who could crush a pączki in record time below!👇🎉

08/21/2026

🇵🇱 SPECIAL GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: Meet Chef “Papa Bojo” at Dożynki! 🥟🥒

We’re thrilled to welcome Jerry Bojo (Papa Bojo, the Polish Papa), the popular food creator from the Detroit area, to the Dożynki Polish Harvest Festival!

Come see him live in downtown Grand Rapids for a special meet & greet and authentic cooking demonstrations:

🗓️Friday, August 28 at 4:00 PM: Meet & Greet

🗓️Saturday, August 29 at 4:00 PM: Live Polish Cooking Demonstration in the Demo Tent featuring his famous take on Lazy Pierogi and refreshing Pickle Salad

Great food, Polish traditions, and plenty of fun await.

Mark your calendars, bring the whole family, and don’t miss out!

📍 Location: Calder Plaza, Grand Rapids, MI

🎟️ Admission: Always FREE all weekend!

👉 Tag a fellow foodie in the comments and let us know what recipe you’re most excited to see! 👇✨

08/20/2026

🇵🇱 GET READY FOR DOŻYNKI 2026! 🥟🍻

The Polish Heritage Society of Grand Rapids, MI invites you to celebrate West Michigan’s premier harvest celebration at the 48th Annual Dożynki Polish Harvest Festival! Bring the whole family downtown for three unforgettable days filled with Polish pride, incredible music, traditional dancing, and the best authentic comfort food around.

📍Event Details:
When: Friday, August 28 – Sunday, August 30, 2026
Where: Calder Plaza (300 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI)
Admission: FREE!

🎉 Festival Highlights You Won’t Want to Miss:
Authentic Polish Cuisine & Beer: Savor steaming plates of pierogi, kielbasa, gołąbki, kapusta, sweet pączki, and cold brews at the Beer Tent!

🍳 Live Cooking Demos with Papa Bojo: Metro Detroit’s favorite culinary influencer, Jerry Bojo / The Polish Papa, will be sharing his kitchen secrets live on Saturday (8/29) & Sunday (8/30)!

🎶 Live Polka Music & Dancing: Polka bands performing all weekend long so bring your dancing shoes!

🏆 2026 Polish Citizen of the Year: Join us on Friday, August 28, as we honor Cannonsburg Village's own Don Kurylowicz (Honey Creek Inn)!

👑 Family Fun & Traditions: Cultural Tent exhibits, Children’s Tent activities, the Busia Pageant, Pączki Eating Contest, and more!

Grab your family, tell your neighbors, and come hungry!

👇 Tag your festival crew in the comments, share this post, and let us know what dish you're heading for first! See you at Dożynki! 🇵🇱✨

08/18/2026

The free 48th annual Dozynki Polish Harvest returns on Aug. 28-30, offering food, music and cultural demonstrations honoring Polish heritage.

08/18/2026

08/17/2026

Members are welcome to attend our monthly board meeting, taking place tonight, Monday, August 17 at 6:00 pm at Diamond Hall - St. Isidore's Benevolent Aid Society.

08/16/2026

The press called him the “Michigan Assassin.” Grand Rapids’ Stanley Ketchel fought with a fury displayed by few pugilists before or since. Twice, he held the world middleweight boxing championship. To this day, boxing historians regard him as one of the sport’s most fearsome competitors. He died at age 24—murdered in a robbery during the first respite of his adult life. Stanley Ketchel grew up on Grand Rapids’ west side but discovered a turbulent, tempting world far from his West Michigan home.⁠
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He was born Stanislaw Kiecal in Grand Rapids on September 14, 1886. His parents, Tomasz and Julia Kiecal migrated to Michigan from what is now Poland. The family resided on the West Side in a Polish enclave on Stocking Avenue. Today, there’s a Stanley Ketchel plaque at the corner of 3rd Street and Stocking Avenue near where his boyhood home once stood.⁠
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Stanislaw saw little school and took to the streets at an early age, fighting and stealing his way into a group of local toughs. The viciousness he displayed as a prize fighter was evident in him from a young age. When he got into a fight (not an uncommon occurrence), he kept throwing punches until someone pulled him off his opponent.⁠
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Stanislaw idolized cowboys and the American West. At age 12, he started riding the rails around west Michigan. At age 14, he left home and became a vagabond of the rails, striking westward in search of work and adventure. The young drifter found work in a variety of western mining or lumber towns.⁠
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🔗 Full Article: https://www.grmag.com/gr-gems/the-michigan-assassin/