Chicago, IL
With a Polish population second only to that of Warsaw, Chicago is a city that revels in Polish holidays – and May 3rd Constitution Day is no exception! This year Chicago’s May 3rd Parade celebrating the Polish Constitution of 1791 will be held on Saturday, May 2 starting at 11.30 AM, with the annual parade following a new route along Dearborn Street, from Lake Street to Van Buren St. This 124th Chicago parade is in honor of the first democratic constitution in Europe and second in the world only to the United States Constitution. Every year Parade gathers thousands of people devoted to Polonia and Poland. Thousands more are expected to be drawn to the television coverage of the parade provided by Polish TV stations. Polish values, history, traditions and culture will be presented by the participants of this biggest outside Poland Parade.
As part of the Constitution Day celebrations, the Chicago Chopin Foundation with the Grant Park Conservancy will hold the Constitution Day Chopin Concert celebration at the Chopin Garden at 11th Street and Michigan Avenue in Grant Park on May 2nd, 2015 at 2:00pm. The festivities will begin with the renowned Polonia Dance and Song Ensemble bringing alive an historical scene from May 3rd, 1791 with excerpts from the new Polish Constitution, performed by a full theater company with twenty actors in period costumes. Next, the Ensemble will lead the traditional “May 3rd Polonaise” walking dance along the promenade of the Chopin Garden and entice the entire audience to join in this unique performance. The celebration will continue with the talented Harvard and New England Conservatory trained pianist Konrad Binienda who will stir hearts with a recital of Chopin’s greatest compositions, followed by a series of patriotic songs that will awaken the Polish spirit and move the spectators to sing along.
Ohio, OH
Since its founding in 1948, the Ohio Division of the Polish American Congress (PAC) has annually sponsored Ohio’s official celebration of the signing of Poland’s Constitution of May 3, 1791. This year, the Polish Constitution Weekend Celebration will take place May 2-3 and will entail:
- SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015 — Polonia Ball (St. Charles Hall, 6:00-11:00 p.m.)
- SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2015 — Wreath Laying Mass, Pankcake Breakfast and Grand Parade (see schedule and venues here: polishvillageparma.org)
[Sources: press release, facebook.com, polishparade.org, polishvillageparma.org, pac1944.org]