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Sausage and sauerkraut brings cultures together


A THREE-DAY celebration of Polish culture, art, and food was wrapped up in style with a big picnic in Priory Park.

Over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Southend held its first Polish festival to promote and celebrate all things Polish.

Southend is twinned with the coastal spa town of Sopot, near Gdansk in Poland, and with an estimated 3,000 Polish people living in the district, it is hoped the event will become an annual tradition.

The event was organised by the arts group Hungry Arts and Southend Council.

Visitors could chill out, munch on Polish sausages, eat sauerkraut, and wash it all down with a selection of Polish beer, while enjoying a variety of entertainment, from traditional Polish dancers, to young Polish bands, youth theatre groups, and art and circus skills workshops.

There were also craft stalls selling Polish ceramics and jewellery.

Another highlight was an outdoor theatre performance by 30 Bird Productions, called Chodzenie-Siberia, exploring the relationship between Polish and Iranian cultures after Stalin released 1.5 million Polish prisoners from Siberia in 1941, and told them to travel 3,500 miles to Iran.

Ros Green, from Hungry Arts, said: “It’s been very, very busy all weekend. The main idea is to have a big celebration that brings everyone together in a fun and creative environment.

“It’s about bringing artists together and making Southend a hotbed of creativity.”


Your Say YourEcho

westcliff willi, says...
9:58pm Mon 14 Sep 09

Well lou3100 i suggest we put em in shoebury,, were better to learn those skills

Chavscum-on-sea, southend says...
10:07pm Mon 14 Sep 09

I think you'll find, lou3100 that most of them come from Westcliff (surprise,surprise)

Nebs, Westcliff-on-Sea says...
11:35pm Mon 14 Sep 09

I went to the festival on Sunday. Music, beer tent, plenty of food. Excellent. Same again next year.

southendreb, southend says...
6:23am Tue 15 Sep 09

how many were there nebs loked empyty in photos

southendreb, southend says...
6:41am Tue 15 Sep 09

oowhat a wonder full event perhapswe in sopothend should learn to speak polish all the time
so they dont have to learn ours
oo yes and another polish ytown clerk
so he coulld several free holidays a year
and perhaps we could let them have have our jobs so they can bring ther families over
well done hungry arts




Dan_, Nevendon says...
9:29am Tue 15 Sep 09

more people that look like Anna Klepacka is only a good thing surely. shes hot.

Mari, Westcliff-on-Sea says...
10:48am Tue 15 Sep 09

I agree with Soozie. I visited Poland 2 years ago and was very impressed by the country, considering it was flat after the war, they have done an excellent job rebuilding it. The people are struggling, but from what i could see have very high morals and standards. They come here to better themselves, and work very hard for their money. They cannot step foot into the country and straight away receive benefits, unlike other nations. We should clean up our own back yard, before we criticise others!

Soozie, Southend on sea says...
11:16am Tue 15 Sep 09

Danny, it is usually the ones that do not work, will not work, and never will work, that knock the Poles and any other EU nationals about taking jobs, benefits etc.

Yet I'm sure these ones who beak off about it, have no desire to take a job they deem beneath them.


Chavscum-on-sea, southend says...
1:11pm Tue 15 Sep 09

Mari, Westciff-on-Sea said -We should clean up our own back yard, before we criticise others!

We would Mari but it's full of Poles!!

southendreb, southend says...
7:56pm Tue 15 Sep 09

last year i helped canvas for the local elections i spoke to many normal hard working people with families
who were going to vote bnp
not because they are racists
or fascist but a protest vote . because nthey feel alienated in thereown country
by the way dan and soozie i have many immigrant friends who have come to this country intergrated and learned a our language.
so please actually delve deeper and yuo will findit is not a levelplaying feild

southendreb, southend says...
7:57pm Tue 15 Sep 09

last year i helped canvas for the local elections i spoke to many normal hard working people with families
who were going to vote bnp
not because they are racists
or fascist but a protest vote . because nthey feel alienated in thereown country
by the way dan and soozie i have many immigrant friends who have come to this country intergrated and learned a our language.
so please actually delve deeper and yuo will findit is not a levelplaying feild

Nebs, Westcliff-on-Sea says...
1:08am Wed 16 Sep 09

southendreb wrote:
how many were there nebs loked empyty in photos
I was there Sunday afternoon for about two hours. Probably 1000 - 2000, but difficult to tell as it was spread over several large fields. At times some areas were crowded, but other times they were almost empty - depended what was going on elsewhere. The only constant factor was that it was always impossible to get a seat outside the beer tent.
No drunks, no trouble. Could have done with more food stalls and more chairs, but this will get bigger and better if they make it an annual event.

anon anon, southend on sea says...
7:56am Wed 16 Sep 09

Dan_ wrote:
more people that look like Anna Klepacka is only a good thing surely. shes hot.
agree Dan.. she is very nice !!

Leigh-on-Snob, L-O-S says...
6:58pm Fri 18 Sep 09

Anna is hot

Chavscum-on-sea, southend says...
11:18am Sat 19 Sep 09

Yeah, she may be hot but not as moral as Mari suggests as her ugly brat has a different surname. But then I have found that most Polish women are easy! Lucky brit men eh?!

Comments are closed on this article.

Anna Klepacka with her son, Mateusz Kaminski, two Anna Klepacka with her son, Mateusz Kaminski, two

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