Polkafest

By: © Nelson Taylor 2008

Festival Location: Tabor, SD, USA

Festival State: South Dakota Festivals

Festival Type(s): Folk Dancing Festivals | Traditional Dancing Festivals, Bizarre Festivals

Polka, a folk dance that originated in Bohemia of the 1830s, is gearing up to take America by storm. Dare I say that Polka just might be the next Swing? Gap commercials? Bands like the Coppersmiths becoming as household as Louie Prima? Chuck Stastny, one of Polka music's biggest supporters, and lots of other obscure Polka bands with horrible names like Karl and the Country Dutchmen are banking on it. July 15th marks the first ever Polkafest in Tabor.

It's sponsored by Stastny, America's foremost polka music authority, whose radio show "Chuck Stastny's Top-Ten Polka Music Countdown (SM)" can be heard on radio stations around the country. This annual two-day gathering expects at least 1000 people, who will come to listen and dance to some of the hottest Polka in the nation. Fees will be $12 for adults. Children under 16 who are accompanied by an adult will be admitted for free.