Saturday, November 20, 2010 was dubbed Barbarian Invasion Day at the Texas Renaisance Festival in Plantersville, Texas but when the grand parade started, there was something a bit more civilized amidst the hoards of barbarians. Three brightly dressed young ladies carrying the Polonia Restaurant banner led the Polish contingent, followed by a large group of people dressed in traditional Polish folk attire and carrying Polish flags.
These Polish patriots were from Our Lady of Czestochowa Catholic Church in Houston and the group included an accordion player, lots of singers, children of all ages and Our Lady of Czestochowa pastor Fr. Leszek Wedziuk. After the long march through the Renaissance Festival grounds, the Polish group gathered at Andzej and Sharon Szpak’s Polonia Restaurant booth for some good Polish food and drinks.
The adult singing group accompanied by Fr. Leszek took to the stage at the new Polish Pub and sang several Polish songs, much to the delight of the large crowd.
Below are a few photos of the fun and there is a slideshow of more photos on page 2. There are a few music videos in the Polish Texans Video section or you can see more videos on our YouTube Channel.
James Smock has always held an interest in his Polish ancestors and heritage. He is a native Houstonian with Polish roots in Bremond, Marlin and New Waverly, Texas.