Happy Dyngus Day!

Sure, Dyngus Day is fun for you: What’s not to love about a post-Lent celebration of Polish pride complete with polkas, accordions, and a festive parade? Still, for Justin Gorski (a.k.a. DJ Kishka) it hasn’t been all pierogies and beer. “Really, I never realized all it would take to do something like this,” laughs the event’s affable organizer. Gorski first introduced Cleveland to Dyngus Day in 2011, with support from Norm Plonski at the Parkview, Sean Kilbane and Sean Watterson from Happy Dog, “and a bunch of my goofball friends.” At first, the notion of an Easter Monday celebration was a hard sell, he recalls, “and the weather was terrible. But through a combination of luck and ethnic pride, we managed to put it together and draw in 1,500 people!” The upshot? This year’s Dyngus Day has gotten enthusiastic buy-in from Gordon Square spots including Reddstone, Stone Mad, XYZ the Tavern, YOLO Wine Bar, and Spice Kitchen + Bar. That’s turned the fest into a true, neighborhood-wide celebration, complete with free trolley service between venues and an expected turnout of 5,000. Gorski says the highlight of today’s festivities will be the 5 p.m. Accordion March from the Parkview to Happy Dog. “If you own an accordion, a guitar, a tuba, or even pots and pans, please come out and play! We’ll all be playing Roll Out the Barrel about 45 times — and it’ll be great!” Festivities are set for noon to 2 a.m. throughout the Gordon Square Arts District. For a full schedule of events — and an application for the Ms. Dyngus Day Contest — check out the website.