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45th
Annual
St.
Mary’s
Polish
Country
Fair
unveils
new DIA
Away
Exhibit,
new look
2016
Fair
Country
Music
Night
Returns
with
Gunnar &
The
Grizzly
Boys and
Annabelle
Road
ORCHARD
LAKE, MI
- Summer
starts
in
Orchard
Lake,
Mich.
this
Memorial
Day
Weekend
with the
45th
annual
St.
Mary’s
Polish
Country
Fair.
Hosted
and
sponsored
by the
St.
Mary’s
Preparatory
Moms &
Dads
Club,
the fair
takes
place
Friday,
May 27
through
Monday,
May 30
and
benefits
the
students
at the
more
than
130-year-old
high
school.
Attracting
more
than
125,000
visitors
each
year,
the
nation’s
largest
high
school
fair
will
offer a
wide
range of
entertainment
from top
local
bands,
such as
headlining
acts the
MEGA
80’s and
Country
Night’s
Annabelle
Road.
The
event
also
will
feature
a
Vegas-style
gambling
tent,
large
selection
of
mouth-watering
authentic
Polish
cuisine,
a new
DIA Away
exhibit,
dancing
and
carnival
rides.
This
year the
fair
will be
open: 5
p.m. to
11 p.m.
Friday;
11 a.m.
to 11
p.m.
Saturday
-
Sunday;
and 11
a.m. to
7 p.m.
Monday.
The
Vegas
tent
will run
from 6
p.m. to
1 a.m.
Friday;
3 p.m.
to 1
a.m.
Saturday
and
Sunday
and 3
p.m. to
7 p.m.
Monday.
Attendees
must be
18 or
older,
with a
valid
ID, to
enter
the fair
after 6
p.m.
unless
accompanied
by a
parent.
“The
fair has
become a
tradition
for
thousands
in the
community
and an
amazing
show of
support
for the
students
at St.
Mary’s
Prep,”
said
Cormac
Lynn,
headmaster
of St.
Mary’s
and host
of the
annual
event.
“Thanks
to the
fair,
the
school’s
largest
fundraiser,
and the
generosity
of the
Mom’s &
Dad’s
Club, we
are able
to
provide
scholarships,
support
student
initiatives
and
maintain
and
improve
our
120-acre
campus
and 26
historic
buildings.”
For the
first
time
ever,
families
and
community
members
will
have the
opportunity
to
“Think
Like an
Artist ”
by
visiting
the DIA
Away
exhibit
at St.
Mary’s
Polish
Country
Fair.
DIA Away
is a
fully
furnished,
vibrantly
designed
53’
double-expandable
trailer
that
provides
a rich
educational
program
beyond
the
museum’s
walls.
Inside,
fairgoers
will
discover
some of
the ways
artists
think
and then
have the
opportunity
to try
out
creative
thinking
skills
at
digital
and
hands-on
stations.
FAIR
FOOTPRINT
With the
addition
of the
DIA Away
exhibit,
fair
planners
decided
to
slightly
rework
the fair
layout.
The
Vegas
tent
will be
moved to
the far
west
wall of
the
fair.
DIA Away
and the
Kids’
Zone
will
take the
place of
the
Vegas
tent,
west of
the
midway.
The
bingo
tent
will be
relocated
to the
immediate
right of
the fair
entrance.
“People
who have
been to
the fair
year
after
year
will be
surprised,”
said
Kevin
Foe,
event
director
for the
festival.
“The
changes
just
made
sense.
We
wanted
to keep
the
Kids’
Zone
activities
grouped
in a
single
area,
even
with the
expansion
of the
zone.”
Activities
for all
ages
include
traditional
Polish
and
American
food,
live
entertainment,
and
family-centered
games
and
rides.
FOOD
OFFERINGS
Polish
food
takes
center
stage at
St.
Mary’s
Polish
Country
Fair. An
expansive
menu,
with
prices
ranging
from
$2-12,
boasts
authentic
Polish
favorites
such as
kielbasa,
pierogi,
kapusta
(sauerkraut)
and
golabki
(stuffed
cabbage).
Pierogi
varieties
include
farmer’s
cheese,
sauerkraut,
potato,
mushroom
and
potato/cheddar.
For
guests
who want
to
sample
many of
the
Polish
favorites,
the $12
Polish
combo
includes:
Polish
sausage
served
on a
bun,
kapusta,
the
choice
of three
pierogi,
golabki
and a
dill
pickle.
A large
selection
of
traditional
American
fair
food,
such as
hamburgers,
fresh
baked
goods,
smoothies
and
ice-cold
adult
beverages,
will be
available
in the
St.
Mary’s
Grill
throughout
the
weekend.
Separately,
a Beer
Garden
will
offer
adult
attendees
a
selection
of
Michigan-brewed
beers
including:
Saugatuck
Brewing
Company’s
Oval
Beach
Blonde
Ale,
Cheboygan
Brewing
Company’s
Blood
Orange
Honey
Wheat,
Right
Brain
Brewery’s
Northern
Hawk Owl
Amber
and
more.
LAS
VEGAS
STYLE
GAMBLING
AND
BINGO
TENTS
The
Vegas
tent
will
return
for
visitors
18 years
and
older
with
several
casino
games:
traditional
Black
Jack,
Craps,
Roulette
and Big
Wheel.
It will
be open
from 6
p.m. to
1 a.m.
Friday,
3 p.m.
to 1
a.m.
Saturday
and
Sunday,
and 3
p.m. to
7 p.m.
Monday.
DJ
Double
Trouble
will
keep
those on
the new
Vegas
tent
dance
floor
hopping
all day.
He’ll
really
crank it
up for
the
Vegas
after
party
from 11
p.m. to
close on
Saturday
and
Sunday.
Admission
to the
tent is
$5 per
person
with
proper
identification.
A cash
bar with
adult
beverages
will be
available
for
individuals
21 years
and
older,
who will
be
required
to wear
a
wristband.
Parent
volunteers
and
professionals
will
serve as
dealers
for all
tables.
Those
who wish
to
gamble
can pay
cash in
exchange
for
playing
chips.
The
cash-out
limit is
$500.
Fair
visitors
also can
try
their
luck at
a
fast-paced
game of
Bingo in
a
separate
tent and
win cash
prizes.
Bingo
cards
are $2
each.
CARNIVAL
RIDES,
GAMES
AND KIDS
AREA
From
spinning
to
reaching
new
heights,
North
American
Midway
Entertainment
has the
excitement
covered.
The fair
offers
nearly
50
midway
rides
this
year
with
plenty
of
thrills,
including:
Freak
Out, the
giant
pendulum
masterpiece
that
swings
riders
up to
127
degrees
while
revolving
at a
speed up
to 15
rpms; an
80-foot
roller
coaster;
the
spinning
Himalaya;
a
classic
merry-go-round;
and a
even
antique
cars for
kids to
drive.
There’s
also a
separate
Kids’
Zone
with
crafts
and fun
activities
for
youngsters.
Offered
Saturday
through
Monday,
the
Kids’
Zone
will be
open 12
p.m. to
6 p.m.
Saturday
and
Sunday
and 12
p.m. to
4 p.m.
Monday.
Creative
Arts
Studio
of Royal
Oak will
provide
the
opportunity
for
visitors
at the
fair to
create
mosaics
and wax
hands.
Face
painting
and
balloon
twisting
will be
provided
by the
award-winning
clowns,
Derby
and
Lovely.
Using
only
hypoallergenic
FDA
compliant
makeup
for the
face
painting,
the
paint
washes
off with
soap and
water.
Magic
shows
featuring
the
ridiculous
Rusty
Bathwater,
a former
Ringling
Brothers
clown,
will
take
place
Saturday
and
Sunday
at 12:30
p.m., 2
p.m.,
3:30
p.m. and
5 p.m.,
and
Monday
at 12:15
p.m., 2
p.m. an
3 p.m.
For the
first
time
ever,
children
will
have the
opportunity
to make
cards
and
write
letters
to send
to
soldiers
through
a
partnership
with
Operation
Care
Package
Michigan.
There
will
also be
other
fun
activities
in honor
of
military
at the
fair
this
year.
UNIQUE
SHOPPING
VENDORS
A fair
tradition,
nearly
50
retail
vendors
will be
selling
unique
and
locally
crafted
items
such as
handmade
Polish
pottery,
T-shirts,
jewelry
and
handbags.
TICKETS
The fair
will
include
free
parking
on the
grounds
of St.
Mary’s.
General
admission
is $6
per
person
or $15
for
families
of up to
six
people.
Children
up to
age
three
are
free.
Both
cash and
credit
cards
will be
accepted.
Those
wishing
to enter
the fair
after 6
p.m.
each
evening
must be
18 years
of age
or older
and show
valid
ID,
unless
accompanied
by a
parent
or legal
guardian.
All-day
ride
passes
can be
purchased
at the
midway
ticket
booth
during
the fair
for $30
or,
through
May 26,
for $25
on the
fair’s
website.
Online
tickets,
which
include
a $2.50
fee per
transaction,
will be
valid
from
open to
10:30
p.m.
Friday
through
Sunday
and all
day
Monday.
Please
note:
the
price of
all-day
ride
passes
does not
include
fair
admission.
Backpacks
will not
be
allowed
into the
fair and
proper
attire
is
required.
“The
Moms &
Dads
Club
plan
year-round
for this
annual
fundraiser,
and
being
able to
help the
students
is so
important
to us,”
added
Foe. “It
really
is such
a
pleasure
to see
our
students,
their
families
and
members
of the
community
come
together
to have
fun and
celebrate
the
start of
summer
and
Polish
traditions
for such
a good
cause.”
EVENT
SPONSORS
The
return
of the
St.
Mary’s
Polish
Country
Fair is
made
possible
with the
generous
support
of many
sponsors,
including
Kroger,
La
Fontaine
Automotive
Group,
General
RV
Center,
The
Lodge,
Powers
Distributing,
Debrincat,
Padgett,
Kobliska
& Zick,
and Marx
Layne &
Company.
MEDIA
SPONSORS
A
special
thanks
to our
media
sponsors,
which
include:
FOX 2 (WJBK
TV),
Free Is
My Life,
Metro
Parent,
Neighborhood
SEEN
magazine,
Oakland
County
Moms,
The
Oakland
Press,
STAND
Magazine,
TellUsDetroit.Com,
WWJ (950
AM) and
WYCD-FM.
ABOUT
ORCHARD
LAKE ST.
MARY’S
POLISH
COUNTRY
FAIR
The St.
Mary’s
Polish
Country
Fair,
the
traditional
start to
Michigan
summer,
serves
as host
to more
than
125,000
fun
seekers
each
Memorial
Day
weekend.
The
four-day
fair
will be
held
Friday,
May 27
through
Monday,
May 30
and will
be open
5 - 11
p.m.
Friday;
11 a.m.
- 11
p.m.
Saturday
and
Sunday;
and 11
a.m. - 7
p.m.
Monday.
Orchard
Lake St.
Mary’s
is
located
at 3535
Commerce
Road in
Orchard
Lake at
the
intersection
of
Commerce
and
Orchard
Lake
roads.
All
weekend
entertainment
schedules
and any
additional
public
information
can be
found at
StMarysPolishCountryFair.com,
on
Twitter
@St_Marys_Fair
and on
Facebook
at
Facebook.com/StMarysPolishCountryFair.
For
further
questions,
call the
information
hotline
at
248-706-6775.
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