EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. -- Today marks the start of a food festival in our area that people say they wait for all year long – the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival kicked off on Friday.
Sunny skies led the way for folks making their way to the annual Edwardsville Pierogi Festival in Luzerne County, celebrating one of northeastern Pennsylvania's favorite foods.
"The weather's nice, we've been getting a lot of rain, you know? That's no good. We had too much rain but now it's nice weather, it's supposed to be nice all weekend," Marty Gushock said.
Vendors at the festival are hoping the favorable weather will give them a chance to show off their Polish specialties.
"We make homemade pierogies, piggies, haluski, make my own fresh and smoked kielbasa, breakfast sausage, sweet sausage," said Frank Ondish, of The Polish Connection.
The Edwardsville Pierogi Festival would not be complete without a pierogi-tasting competition.
"Pierogi Joe" Stanavage is hoping to defend his championship title from last year.
"Last three years we took silver, like the Olympics, then we took bronze, and last year, we took the gold trophy -- best vendor pierogies in Edwardsville," said Stanavage.
People here say it's the food and folks like "Pierogi Joe" that keep them coming back here to Edwardsville.
The party continues here with live bands until 10 p.m.
On Saturday, there will be a pierogi parade at 11 a.m. followed by that competition Pierogi Joe is prepping for at 2 p.m.