FEATURE
Pierogi, Polka, and Politics: Dyngus Day in South Bend
Part of Dyngus Day’s allure is the chance to indulge in Polish American favorites. A kitchen volunteer serves up kiełbasa and other goodies at last year’s event at the West Side Democratic Club.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Marking the end of Lent and the promise of spring, Dyngus Day provides a much-needed breath of celebratory fresh air — and no one celebrates quite like the Dyngus crowds of South Bend.
Held annually the Monday after Easter, Dyngus Day traces its origins back to the year 966 AD when mass baptisms were held to mark the arrival of Christianity in Poland. Since then, the holiday has evolved to mark the end of Lent, the coming of spring, and, in South Bend, the beginning of campaign season.
Traditionally, Dyngus Day was celebrated by young men dousing young women with water (a throwback to the mass baptisms of the 10th century), as well as rapping their legs with pussywillow branches as a form of flirting. But this is now the year 2024 and those activities have long gone by the wayside. Instead, Dyngus Day is celebrated as more of a Polish St. Patrick’s Day — a day filled with plenty of traditional Polish fare, libations, and camaraderie.
Jack Colwell, longtime South Bend resident and columnist for The South Bend Tribune, calls South Bend the “Dyngus Day capital of the Midwest,” and you’d be hard-pressed to prove him wrong. Celebrations can be found at social clubs, bars, and restaurants across the city, but serving as ground zero is the West Side Democratic Club.
“They have huge amounts of kiełbasa they serve during the day, polka music, and crowds in there having liquid refreshments. It’s just where people go to be friends and talk about not necessarily politics, but just talk about their basketball teams or anything that’s the current topic,” says Colwell.
The West Side Democratic Club is also where you’ll find the unofficial kickoff to Indiana’s campaign season. Colwell says, “It’s an old structure, kind of dilapidated, but it’s still the place where any visiting politicians running for governor, senator, or even for national office . . . they will all go there.”
With the state’s primaries only a few weeks out from Dyngus Day, it’s no wonder politicians are attracted to the large crowds of revelers. Bobby Kennedy drew record crowds in 1968 and since then, South Bend’s Dyngus Day has seen the likes of Pete Buttigieg, Mike Pence, and Bill and Chelsea Clinton, as well as countless state and local candidates running for office.
While the politicians add a certain festive overtone, the true highlight of Dyngus Day is the chance for a city to connect to its origins and each other. South Bend’s Polish roots run deep, with approximately 10% of the current population claiming Polish American heritage. Dyngus Day provides residents a day to celebrate the traditions of their ancestors while inviting other cultures to join in their day of revelry. While Dyngus Day is only one day, its sense of community, heritage, and unity are a part of the everyday fabric of South Bend.
For more information, visit:
https://visitsouthbend.com/events/annual-events/dyngus-day/
