Pierogi Fest — Attraction in North Township

I struggled with this one a bit. I have been attending this festival for decad and on one hand, food choices are spectacular. This is no longer a pierogi fest but a street food festival (obviously dominated by pierogi, but there'sso much more!). Very few merchants selling arts and crafts but I think dozens if not hundreds of food vendors - not any food vendors, but highest shelf vendors that had been in the field for decades and perfected their craft over the years. On the other hand, felt like the festival lost it's spark. Very many new vendors, festival keeps on expanding with making everyone walking more and more (I gave up after walking just a few blocks and didn't get to experience all there was - looked for familiar vendors which were pushed back towards the end of the fest and that was just too far to walk in the heat). Not enough bathrooms. Not enough cooling stations. No cell phone coverage (too many people trying to connect to the same cell towers). Vendors not accepting credit cards due to no wifi/cell coverage. Traffic caused by road construction right by the entrance. Long lines by some vendors that were causing blockage in foot traffic for others. Big police presence but very many kids smoking Marijuana in the open/while walking. All those factors made me have very mixed feelings and have me question if I will be coming...

Our 1st time, & it won't be our last! This will make a great annual trip right before school starts. Unfortunately, that means HOT weather, but it's worth it. You can just drive over to Whihala Beach for a nice dip in the lake to cool off after. So many pierogis, & not enough room in my tummy! There is quite the variety of fillings & ways they're cooked - something for everyone. There was music at the end of every block. Every single person was extremely nice & helpful. The streets were clean - not full of trash the last day of a 3-day festival. I wish the kids' stuff was closer to the entrance, though. The kids' activities were set up past the "Beer Garden" area. We barely made it to the "Beer Garden", & the kiddos were worn out, begging to leave. They were too tired & had no interest in trekking all the way over to the kids' area. Now that we're back home, I'm wishing I'd gotten some frozen pierogis to take home! I'll definitely...

When you enter its a good idea to walk around a bit before purchasing any food item...there is considerable difference in prices as you walk along. One Polish plate was $30 and as you walked further, it was only $13 or $15. For 2 large potato pancakes (probably about 7" diameter) I paid $10 and later saw for $6. Price differences along the road also differed for pierogi and other foods. I love Mexican food; however thought it was a bit strange to be serving at Pierogi Fest. Hard to get a free spot for parking, but did see few people get one. Most parking close by was $20. I got a sample of nuts someone was selling and was going to buy some, but the praline pecans were soggy so I did not buy any. There were many goodies to buy from vendors both food and crafts etc , but it was steamy out and didn't want to carry around or transport these on such a hot day. A misting tent to cool off was a great spot to stop for...