2025 Pierogi Fest brings hundreds of thousands to the Region to celebrate food, friends, and fun

Pierogi Fest, the City of Whiting’s hometown celebration that attracts crowds from throughout the nation, has returned to the shores of Lake Michigan for a weekend of music, entertainment, parades, and food beginning July 25. This year will see thousands traveling everywhere from the Region to across the country to attend another year of pierogi-themed festivities.

“It draws hundreds of thousands of people to the Calumet region every year. It also is covered in almost every single television market in North America, plus worldwide,” Chairman and cofounder, Thomas Dabertin, said. 

Started in the ‘90s as a way to celebrate Whiting’s Eastern European heritage, Pierogi Fest has become a staple both in the Region and in the State of Indiana. This year, the fun kicked off with live music across six different stages and the annual Polka Parade, the perfect kickoff to a weekend filled with Region flare.

“The Polka Parade actually predates the festival itself by a year, and it’s the quirkiness of the parade that we’ve carried out through the festival,” Dabertin said

Many were gathered along 119th Street to see local businesses march in their pierogi-themed costuming alongside some more wacky characters. This included the Lawnmower Brigade and the ever-popular Pieroguettes. Getting everyone together helps to set the tone for the rest of the festival.

Characters from the parade could afterwards be found mingling with the crowd. Whether snapping a photo with the Buscias, fawning over Miss Paczki, or talking shop with Mr. Pierogi, the lighthearted atmosphere is maintained thanks to the hard work of everyone involved in Pierogi Fest.

“I put in about a thousand hours per year planning the festival and the parade,” Thomas Dabertin said.

The biggest draw for Pierogi Fest, however, are the dozens of food and craft vendors taking over downtown Whiting. The vendors sell a variety of Eastern European fare and ensure that everyone who visits Pierogi Fest walks away with a full belly and arms full of tchotchkes.

“Some of my favorite things are the parade, we took our granddaughter today to some of the rides, the food, just seeing all the people that we know and people that grew up here and come back for it that we haven’t seen in awhile,” Mary Kay Ader said.

Pierogi Fest wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce and the many volunteers offering their time and skills to make the festival fun for everyone. 

With the first night of the 2025 Pierogi Fest in the books, visitors still have plenty to look forward to heading into the weekend. On Saturday, rock artist Five For Fighting – presented by the Hard Rock Casino – will take the main stage. Sunday will wrap up the festival with a game show that lets you test your brains against some of the brightest minds of the Chicagoland area during “Are You Smarter than a UChicago Physician?”

Pierogi Fest is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Be sure to swing by to check out what’s on tap as well as the 50+ food vendors and the 30+ arts, crafts, and specialty vendors!

While Pierogi Fest is the City of Whiting’s premier summer festival, there’s always something fun happening in the city! From Empanada Fest in September to Wickedly Whiting in October, the city still has plenty in store for the rest of this year. Find out more by visiting whitingindiana.com.