It’s been two decades since Mike Lingaur graduated from Lake Leelanau St. Mary and another dozen years since he last attended the Cedar Polka Fest.
On Sunday, Father Michael Lingaur returned to the Polka Fest, joining Bishop Jeffrey J. Walsh in leading a Mass that brought more than 700 people under the big top to receive communion, recite the Eucharistic Prayer, and listen to holy music sung in Polish. Walsh attended for the third time in the last four years.
“Some traditional Polish songs were sung,” said Lingaur, who was ordained in 2020. “You could see people drawing on the memories of being sung those songs by their grandparents. Many of those with Polish heritage sang along like it was a lullaby in their crib.”
For those who don’t see the connection between a rollicking good time under a beer tent and a solemn religious ceremony, a cultural lesson might help. The Catholic faith is a salient part of Polish heritage that is not forgotten during festivals.
“The Catholic religion is deeply rooted in the Polish community,” explained Lisa Rossi-Brett, executive director of the newly formed Cedar Polka Fest Foundation. “When the Polka Fest first started, a lot of the early activity was built around the Mass. You don’t have to be Catholic to go, and even if you aren’t Catholic it’s a great experience.”
While overall attendance may have slipped just a touch over the four-day festival. Brett said organizers are happy with the outcome. Final numbers have yet to be compiled, but she suspects that more than 9,000 people attended. She anticipates some slippage in numbers because tourism is down throughout northern Michigan and the tent tally for Saturday was 3,200 people — about 150 fewer than in 2023.
But not everyone visiting Cedar from Thursday through Sunday sipped beer and danced the night away. An inaugural Air Dogs competition proved very popular, crowds lined main street for the Polka Fest parade, and some 20 entrees were tastetested during the first Polish Food Pageant. Car show entries were strong and 45 tables were filled for the craft fair.
“We have added free events because not everyone wants to come inside the tent and listen to loud bands,” Brett explained.
She took time out of a busy Monday morning of cleanup to thank the scores of volunteers who make the Polka Fest a community affair, and to encourage festival goers to suggest how the event might improve. The Air Dog show proved popular and plans are underway to arrange a return. Tweaks might be made in parking design and beverage ticket sales.
“I knew going into this that tourism was down compared to last year. So we’re very, very happy with the event. It was so cool to have the community out and celebrating our Polish heritage together, in harmony. That’s a beautiful thing,” Brett said.
One behind-the-scenes change was made headed into the 2024 festival, and another should help in planning for next year.
The Cedar Polka Fest Foundation was formed in February as the charitable arm of the Cedar Chamber of Commerce. While attendees did not and will not notice a difference, the change was made to provide better opportunities for giving. Now donations to the Polka Fest will be tax deductible.
Rich Nachazel remains chair of the Polka Fest Committee.
Funds generated by the event, which just finished its 43rd year, are funneled back into the community to Cedar Fire and Rescue, Cherryland Humane Society, the Glen Lake football program, Northern Michigan Rowing Club and various other causes. The Foundation also funds several scholarships for high school seniors.
Brett expected no hangover from the brouhaha resulting from a Solon Township Board proposal to begin charging for use of township property. “We’ve figured how to move forward together. We are working closely with the township to mitigate any issues in the future,” Brett said.
Ray Pleva, a founder of the Polka Fest, said vendors fared well. D & K Wood Fire Catering served up more than 600 pounds of Pleva’s special recipe Polish meats.
“Our vendor did better this year than the year before, and he did better that year than the year before that,” Pleva reported.
He was moved by the Mass — and the Catholic setting, which he credited to the creativity of Bernie Czerniak.
“She spent about 10 hours ironing and creating and setting it up. Everything had to be perfect or she wouldn’t walk away,” Pleva said.
Lingaur, too, was touched by the Mass. His journey back to the Polka Fest included graduating from Northwood University, employment in Livonia for a small automobile supplier, and returning to the area to work in the IT department of the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate school district at which he melded technology into classroom settings.
At the Gaylord Diocese he served parishes in Manistee and Alpena. Now he’s being mentored for a leadership role in overseeing Catholic education provided by St. Mary School and Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools.
“The offering went toward Catholic education for both, and since I benefitted from both it was good that I was there,” said Lingaur, current administrator at Traverse City St. Francis parish.
In fact, it was the grounding provided by being raised in a Christian community that led to his ordination.
“It’s a wonderful blessing to have a foundation from a loving community in my past. It’s been with me in everything I’ve done, when I was drawn downstate and when I came back … it brings richness to my life. It was instrumental in my decision to join the priesthood. It must be difficult for guys who don’t have that. It’s a blessing.
“It brings answers to a lot of people,” he said.
