Copernicus Center — Attraction in Jefferson Township

The Taste of Polonia is a fundraiser that has been around since 1979. The four-day festival is held every Labor Day weekend and is located at the Copernicus Center. This event is filled with Polish and Non-Polish festivities such as music, food, films, and lots more! Located just a block from the Jefferson Park Blue Line one can easily walk or park for free along streets of the neighborhood. There is also parking by the Blue Line for $12. There is an admission fee of $7 and children under 12 are free. The ticket buying process was fast and you could buy them online to avoid waiting. The layout of the festival had 3 main stages that were spread throughout the venue. There was a kid’s corner that had carnival games, a kid’s stage, a bouncy house, face painting, and rock climbing which ranged from $5 through $7. It was crowded, but had a lot of family-oriented happenings. The other stages were dedicated to English or Polish music (Polka or a Polish band). At the American stage there was an influx of Rock and R&B music. On Saturday, at the American stage there was a tribute band to The Beatles, which had good singing. At night the kid’s stage had a DJ spinning mixes. The atmosphere was really friendly and was predominantly of the Polish community with a few different ethnic backgrounds, but as someone being not Polish it felt welcoming and the people were helpful. Little booths followed after the kid’s area. Some sponsors offered little games and gave out small prizes that were free. Various booths were selling Native American baubles and jewelry; others sold jewelry made in Poland and Polish pride gear that was costly. In order to get food you had to buy “food coupons.” These were sold individually (one coupon equaled a dollar) or sheet of 20 coupons for $20. Cash was not accepted at these food booths. This system felt effective because the food was being made right in front of you, so the food coupon system allowed it to be more sanitary. Ultimately, service was quick and obsequious, but one drawback was since the area was compacted I couldn’t get a table to eat my food. The food selection had a variety of Polish cuisine and frozen delights (Culver’s ice cream, Piña Coladas, and frozen yogurt). I got a “Polish Plate” from the Smakowski booth. For $12 you get a chargrilled Polish sausage, coleslaw, three pierogies(fried dumpling filled with cheese or ground meat), stuffed cabbage, a potato pancake, and fried cabbage with a side of sour cream—a hefty amount of food. The cooking felt homemade and was delicious. I even went for seconds with four more pierogies to share with my friend. Food ranged from $4-$15. Inside of the Copernicus Center there were Polish films with English subtitles, a bar selling drinks, free cooking lessons, casino games, and Bingo in the Annex ($5 for 3 sheets) a game was played every 30 minutes. It was a great way to escape the heat and crowds for a bit or to test out your luck! Unfortunately, my friend and I didn’t attend the cooking lessons (how to cook Polish dishes), but we did end up watching a film that was interesting. Overall, Taste of Polonia is an event that has a lot going on at all times. This festival incorporates tasty food, great service, and nonstop fun. There were some minor drawbacks like a small dining area, which makes hard to find an open table and some activities cost money to participate in, but then again it is a festival. As a Chicago native it is great to experience new cultures because our city is so diverse. I would recommend attending this festival because of its plethora of activities; just make sure to bring enough cash because activities and food do add up at the end of the day. Taste of Polonia is definitely an event that must be experienced...

The Copernicus Center's auditorium offers a fantastic experience with its captivating ambiance, adorned with a sky-themed decor that adds a unique touch to the atmosphere. The stage is well-proportioned, providing a suitable platform for various performances. The auditorium's seating capacity of over 1000 ensures that it can host sizable events, accommodating a diverse audience.

The facility includes a spacious room designated for food and drinks, enhancing the overall convenience for attendees. The availability of ample parking space is a significant advantage, ensuring that guests can easily find parking without hassle.

Despite these positives, it's worth noting that the location's drawback lies in the surrounding area's traffic congestion, which can pose a challenge for attendees. However, the proximity to the highway offers a redeeming factor, facilitating convenient access for those traveling by car.

In summary, the Copernicus Center's auditorium impresses with its appealing ambiance, generous seating capacity, and well-designed facilities. While the traffic situation in the vicinity may be a concern, the proximity to the highway helps mitigate this issue, making it a favorable venue for...

As musical performance producers, we are delighted to work with Gateway Lounge and Copernicus Center for upcoming shows. The team helped gather social media content for creating shared event advertising, listing of the artists, and has quality sound for recording performances. The piano at Gateway was really nice and tuned for our show. The AV equipt. is on par with top venues and we had arranged for sound board operator to mix the concert mics and additional audio.

One thought for photographer, would be inconsistent lighting around the room with central sky light and raw ceiling space with track lighting on stage, not directional... to provide spotlight or move center stage, not front center.

The bar staff, all front of house, box office team helped us feel extremely welcome and part of the community space.

Location, public transist access and free parking lot are super accessible and easy to navigate. We cannot wait to throw a next concert event with Copernicus and Gateway...