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Pierogi Festival in Krakow 

A street survey among Krakow tourists asking about “the most popular Polish meal” or “your favorite Polish dish” would result in myriads of answers. The top five would probably look like this: 1. pierogi, 2. pierogies, 3. pirogi, 4. pirogies, 5. dumplings. The other answers probably wouldn't be much different – and the only thing one can wonder about is: since everybody loves them so much, why is the name so often confused?

Tasty morsels on display at the Pierogi festival Cracow

The reason may lie in the hostility of the Polish language experienced by any visitor (just try saying “W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie”, or at least “Wieża Ratuszowa”) - regardless of that, let's settle the matter once and for all: the name is “pierogi” (plural), and one of “pierogi” is “pieróg” ('piehroog') - so saying “pierogis” would amount to saying “mices” or “feets”.

You might already know all that, but a little revision of the pierogi lesson might be useful, especially if you're coming to Krakow in mid-August, for you are very likely to land in the city right in time for the Pierogi Festival in Krakow.

The Pierogi Wars

Ok, “war” may be pushing it a bit too far, but during the Krakow Pierogi Festival, many of Krakow's best restaurants fight for the jury's – and the crowd's – recognition, by offering pierogi with most surprising fillings. Those include pierogi with apples and rose petals, pierogi with blood pudding or pierogi with salmon. Of course the Pierogi Festival also satisfies the needs of the more 'traditional' pierogi connoisseurs, offering the classics: 'pierogi ruskie' (with cottage cheese and potatoes) or 'pierogi z mięsem' (with minced meat). The winner of the main contest of the Pierogi Festival receives a statue of St Jacek, the patron of pierogi.

More Attractions of the Pierogi Festival

For all those ambitious cooks out there, the organizers of the Krakow Pierogi Festival prepared a contest of modeling the pierogi dough into most beautiful dumplings. Everyone can also become a part of the jury of the Pierogi Festival, as all visitors can choose their favorite pierogi and the winner of this voting receives a statue of king Casimir the Great (his connections with pierogi aren't clear, but he surely loved them – who doesn't?). Additionally, all the eating is accompanied by various performances of musicians, clowns, storytellers and others, so even if you're full, there will be something to do.

Krakow Pierogi Festival – Information and Some (impressive!) Numbers

As said, the Krakow Pierogi Festival takes place in mid-August, corresponding with the Catholic Feast of the Assumption. It was first organized in 2003 as a two-day event, but throughout the years the Pierogi Festival grew, and it now spans over a three- or five-day period. The Pierogi Festival in Krakow is celebrated in the Old Town, usually either on the Plac Szczepanski or the Maly Rynek. Each year, thousands of pierogi-lovers from Poland and abroad gather in Krakow to taste their favorite dish – and in 2007, a total of 180 thousand pierogi have been eaten.