Slovak Septemberfest marks fifth anniversary in Peters Township
Last year, sunny weather and the unveiling of a room-sized, animated wood carving depicting bucolic life in Slovakia combined to produce an overflow crowd of people interested in Eastern European culture and food.
This year, to alleviate the potential lack of parking spaces, the National Slovak Society, 351 Valley Brook Road in McMurray will be offering a free continuous shuttle bus from the St. Benedict the Abbot Church parking lot during “Septemberfest,” 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 24.
Also appearing for the first time at the fifth annual ethnic festival will be Holden Puppets of Hunker, Westmoreland County. Two different puppet shows are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., based on tales of Baba Yaga, a witch-like, magical character.
In an article written last year for the Ancient Origins website, author Ryan Stone called Baba Yaga, “the confounding crone of Slavic folklore.” Baba means old woman or grandmother while yaga can mean “snake” or “wicked.” She is a forest dweller, and she can be either a benefactor or a villain.
Festival planners have also expanded the children’s area featuring Slovak arts and crafts in cooperation with the NSS Ambassadors.
The largest animated woodcarving in the United States, proved to be the most popular feature of the event when it was introduced last year. There are more than 50 scenes depicting Slovakian folk life with 82 life-like moving figures. Dave Dayton will point out details.
There will also be cooking demonstrations of ceregi, which are fried dough knots, and jablka v zupane, fried apples. Recipes and samples will be distributed. Pittsburgh resident Larry Kozlowski will demonstrate and discuss the traditions associated with oplatky, shared unleavened wafers found in several European cultures and at Christmastime. Participants will be able to make one to take home.
A cafe will be open for lunch featuring hot dogs, kielbasa sandwiches and homemade desserts-zakusky and kolache-provided by National Slovak Society Heritage Museum bakers.
A Slovak marketplace will offer a selection of hand-made gifts, including crystal. Mary Gido will spin flax and Juraj Adamik will throw the valaška, the mountaineer’s ax that the folk hero Janošik (the Slovak Robin Hood) used in his adventures. The Junior Pittsburgh Slovakians and the Pittsburgh Slovakians, Pittsburgh’s oldest Slovak Cultural Group, will entertain with songs and dance. Roxy, the Slovak kuvasz, a breed of sheep dog native to Slovakia, will be visiting.
The 126-year-old National Slovak Society, a fraternal organization that sells insurance and investments, expanded its little museum and moved to Peters Township from Southpointe after operating for many years in Pittsburgh. Its early festivals were called “Christmas in September.”
The Slovak Society does not charge admission to the festival. Directions and more information are available at the website at www.nsslife.org/museum. The phone number is 1-800-488-1890.