South Bend celebrates Dyngus Day, Solidarity Day
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - The day after Easter is a time to celebrate in South Bend, as it’s both Dyngus Day and Solidarity Day.
There are many ways to celebrate after Easter, but for Polish people it’s celebrated with beer, sausage and dancing.
The West Side Democratic and Civic Club in South Bend is home to the original Dyngus Day celebration. In fact, it’s been hosting Dyngus Day celebrations for 95 years.
This year, the club welcomed the public to enjoy a plate of Polish sausage, noodles and cabbage.
“Celebrating your culture is very important, whatever your culture is, whatever your nationality is,” says Timothy Hudak, president of West Side Democratic & Civic Club. “It’s always important to have these days that you can celebrate your heritage and your traditions.”
The Monday following Easter is not just a celebration of Polish food and culture. It’s also shared with another holiday that encourages people to reflect.
“Cause there’s a Polish word called ‘Solidarność, which is solidarity — which we are also proud to share this day with Solidarity Day,” Hudak says. “I always thought maybe we could get together some day and have one big celebration.”
Over the years, the West Side Democratic & Civic Club has been known for bringing political figures and the community together as one.
“The recipe of what brings people together hasn’t changed. That it is built around love, solidarity, and inclusion and those are going to be at the core of Dyngus Day here at the Dem Club for decades to come,” said Ricky Herbst, president’s successor of West Side Democratic & Civic Club.
Herbst mentions Solidarity Day, which is a different holiday than Dyngus Day but falls on the same Monday following Easter.
It’s also celebrated in South Bend.
City temporarily renames streets for Dyngus Day, Solidarity Day
Today is steeped in traditions, and among them is the ceremonial renaming of South Bend city streets.
For today only, the intersection of Ford Street and S. Warren Street was renamed “Dyngus Day Drive” while the intersection of W. Western Avenue and Laurel Street became “Solidarity Day Drive.”
“These have been a longtime tradition in South Bend, and Dyngus comes from a Polish tradition,” explained South Bend Mayor James Mueller. “We’ve had a large Polish immigrant community here for a long time, and that’s why South Bend is one of the few places in the United States that celebrates Dyngus Day.”
Other places in the U.S. that are known for celebrating Dyngus Day are Buffalo, N.Y., and Cleveland, Ohio.
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