The 10th annual Slovenian Sausage Festival hosted by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum was held Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the SNPJ Farm in Kirtland, Ohio. SNPJ is short for Slovenska Narodna Podporna Jednota which translates to Slovene National Benefit Society.
Azman Quality Meats of Euclid, Ohio, took titles as the People’s Choice and the Best of Fest judges’ award as top Slovenian sausage – for the second year in a row.
Bill Azman of Azman Quality Meats
Raddell’s Sausage Shop of Cleveland was voted runner-up for the People’s Choice.
Ed O'Shaben of Raddell’s Sausage Shop of Cleveland
Maple Heights Catering, of Maple Heights, Ohio, received runner-up honors from the jury.  Maple Heights Catering
Judging the sausage
About sixty musicians performed, including Walter Ostanek, Canada’s Polka King.
Tony Petkovsek at Slovenian Sausage Fest
In this video, musicians jammed to the polka song 'Let's have a party'.
In this video musicians jammed and people danced to the polka song 'Turn around, Stamp Your Feet'.
The Slovenian sausage (kranjska klobasa, in Slovenian) is made of coarse-ground pork, flavored with garlic, salt and pepper, and cured by smoking. Additional herbs or spices may vary from maker to maker, but the recipes were brought to America by immigrants from Slovenia a century ago.
Festival vendors also prepared rice and blood sausages, as well as potato pancakes, cabbage and noodles, apple strudel and other nationality treats.
The Slovenian Sausage Festival is held by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Euclid's historic original City Hall building.
Joe Valencic, President of the
National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum
Audio exhibits, vintage photographs and original instruments trace the story of the city's home-grown sound from its roots in the Slovenian neighborhoods to nationwide renown in the 1940s and 1950s.
The Polka Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 605 East 222nd Street in Euclid, Ohio, in the city’s historic former city hall. For more information, check the website at www.polkafame.com or call (216) 621-FAME.
Top of Page
Back to Cleveland Slovenians
| 
