Two big events in Shenandoah were cancelled in 2020. So, this year, they had them together in one big event that celebrated the community’s ethnically diverse heritage and its delicious food.
On Saturday, the Parade of Nations kicked off the annual Heritage Day celebration.
It’s an event unlike any other in Schuylkill County and few other local communities can match it.
Later, the smell of smoked, cured meat filled the air for the increasingly popular Kielbasi Festival.
Shenandoah’s 2021 Heritage Day and the Parade of Nations
Revelers lined the streets of Shenandoah to watch members of numerous ethnic backgrounds within the borough march in attire to reflect their heritage.
And if you didn’t know, the Parade of Nations is a good way to find out just how diverse Shenandoah’s heritage truly is.
There aren’t too many places in the world where you’ll find a strong Polish, Lithuanian, or Ukrainian community living next door to a growing Mexican, El Salvadoran, or Puerto Rican population.
But that’s what you’ve got in Shenandoah and each group is proud of its heritage. Further, everyone seems proud to call Shenandoah their home.
Shenandoah 2021 Kielbasi Festival
After the parade broke up, many more descended on Shenandoah for the annual Kielbasi Festival.
It’s a celebration of one Shenandoah’s finest exports and all things Eastern European cuisine.
Lines for the most popular food stands on Main St. stretched about a half-block as people eagerly awaited getting their hands on some kielbasi-inspired dishes.
You probably had to wait a good 20 minutes to get an order in at the Kowalonek’s or Lucky’s kielbasi stands.
People were queued up at the Rescue Hook and Ladder station, too, for its popular food stand.
Here’s a look at all the sights of the fantastic Shenandoah 2021 Heritage Day, Parade of Nations, and Kielbasi Festival:
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