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Polish Town Civic Association plans to sell Polonaise Park, but says fair will go on in 2021

The Polish Town Civic Association is planning to sell Polonaise Park, the 1.3-acre property that houses the Polish Town Pavilion and hosted numerous concerts and other events over the years, including the annual Polka Festival that coincided with the Polish Town Street Fair, according to Kay Davis, the association’s president. 

And while this year’s Polish Town Fair was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, Ms. Davis said the nonprofit association is already planning next year’s fair.

“There’s still going to be a Polish Town Civic Association, there’s still going to be a Polish Town Fair, there’s still going to be a Polish Town queen competition” she said, reacting to rumors she’s heard since this year’s fair was canceled for the first time since it began in 1975. 

The fair helps raise money to beautify and promote Polish Town. 

Ms. Davis said the association is also planning to fix up the PTCA headquarters and rent it out for small events from time to time. 

“We’re not going anywhere,” Ms. Davis said in an interview Friday. She said the decision to cancel this year’s Polish Town Fair was for safety reasons, as state officials are warning people to avoid large crowds. 

She said this year’s fair was “all ready to go” in February, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. 

Most large events on the East End have also had to cancel this year. 

While the PTCA is still planning next year’s Polish Town Fair, which includes street vendors and music, it is not planning to continue the Polka Festival, which Ms. Davis said was held under the pavilion and had lost money for the PTCA. 

“When we sell the property and have all that extra money, we can start doing things for Polish Town again,” Ms. Davis said. The Polka Festival hasn’t been held for the past three years, she said. 

The Polish Town Civic Association purchased the land on which Polonaise Park sits in 1994, which originally had a large red and white tent on it. The tent, which was damaged in a storm, was later replaced with the permanent pavilion structure that is there now.