Pierogi Fest

Held in Downtown Whiting, Pierogi Fest provides an annual opportunity for people to return to their roots, celebrate their heritage, and have a lot of fun. The incredible event draws more than 300,000 people from across the nation and the world. Numerous live music acts will be performing throughout the three-day event across multiple stages, and dozens of food vendors will be serving up tasty eats to enjoy.

How does a simple idea for a local festival to celebrate ethnic roots become a globally known phenomenon with hundreds of thousands of attendees each year?  

It all started a few decades ago in the little town called Whiting, Indiana. There, a combination of great ideas, strong community spirit, a little bit of luck, and a fair bit of wackiness all came together into what became the world-famous Pierogi Fest.  

Although the festival is nationally recognized today, it still maintains its small-town perspective. That’s a big reason why people the world over love coming to the fest each year – even those that weren’t raised in small towns. There’s something oddly familiar about Pierogi Fest for many people that attend. In a way, it’s like they’re transported to another time and place when things were a bit simpler and a lot more fun.