Annual St. Michael’s Polish Picnic set for Sunday in Peabody

PEABODY – Poles across Peabody have been cooking away this past week in anticipation of Sunday’s fifth Annual St. Michael’s Polish Picnic.So far, the volunteers have cooked up roughly 70 pounds of kielbasa (Polish sausage), 1,500 golabkis (stuffed cabbage), and countless loaves of dark and marble rye bread.”It’s going to be wonderful,” said Lola Busta of the St. Michael’s Society. “Looks like the weather’s going to cooperate from what I understand.”Other items on the menu include hamburgers, hot dogs, kapusta (fried cabbage), and paczki (polish doughnuts). There will also be popcorn and cotton candy for children.The event begins with a Polka Mass at noon featuring the music of the Eastern Sounds Orchestra. The group will also kick off the dance celebration from 2-6 p.m.Games, the moonwalk, and Ethan the Ballon-A-Tic will perform throughout the day to keep the younger crowd entertained.The main raffle will be drawn at 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and going fast. The lucky winner will get more chances to press their luck with the grand prize book full of 50 $10-lottery tickets.”We’ll certainly have some fun here,” said Busta.This year’s picnic also celebrates the 400th anniversary of when the first Polish immigrant arrived in Jamestown, Va. on Oct. 1, 1608, said Busta.The event, held at the St. Michael’s Society, 15 Endicott St. is free and open to the public. Parking is available at St. Joseph’s Church (Catholic Charities), Farnham Park, near the Citgo Gas Station.