Organizations

Above: The moment on a Saturday in June when at the end of celebrations, the audience joins Wianki performers in a stately Polonaise near the Reflecting Pool.

Each year in the six decades of its existence, on the third Saturday in June, the Polish American Arts Association has been holding a traditional St. John’s Eve party, called Sobótki or Wianki (Wreaths) in Polish. Originally, the celebrations, which included singing and dancing to Polish folk melodies and a procession of young girls carrying wreaths made from fresh flowers to the lake or stream, were held on private properties in Virginia but in the early 80s, in cooperation with the National Park Service, Wianki Festival moved to the National Mall where it is held to this day at the Reflecting Pool by the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

This year, Wianki was celebrated on June 20th, with additional features in the program to mark the 250th Anniversary of the founding of United States. The festivities, attended by hundreds of members of Polonia and throngs of tourists and other visitors to the most visible venue in the nation’s capital, lasted through the late hours of the evening. The highlight, as each year, was a procession of girls bearing freshly made Wianki on their heads which they laid at the edge of the Reflecting Pool. The evening ended with a grand Polonaise by all as the stately music wafted over the waters and into the pleasantly warm summer evening.

The Wianki Festival was partially funded by the Polish Embassy, represented by Consul Teresa Chruszcz, and the American Council for Polish Culture with its President Celia Larkin in attendance. The ACPC is proud of its affiliate, the PAAA, which for sixty years now is celebrating Polish culture in the Nation’s Capital in such splendid manner. Happy Birthday, America! Long live Polish American friendship.

Please see some of the Wianki moments in this photo compilation on the PAAA and ACPC Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1528361902664669&set=pcb.1528388862661973

 

ACPC affiliates and supporting organizations

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