Pat Barrera hadn’t been out to see her favorite music in a while. But when she sat at a table on a recent Sunday to watch the 55th Annual Chicago Festival of Polka Bands in Orland Park, the bands ...

Germans insisted it was an old Bavarian drinking song. Americans and British thought it was one of their own. Anyhow, they all sang it. The Beer Barrel Polka became the Tipperary of World War II, ...

Chris Bogdon was in first grade in his native Carnegie when he started taking accordion lessons. Steve Novosel, while growing up in Murrysville, took up the instrument at 9 years old. Both were raised ...

The four-day festival honors community and Polish culture with 22 bands, an arts fair and traditional Polish food.