22nd Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival parade and competition to highlight Saturday’s schedule

PLYMOUTH — If you don’t know how to get there, don’t try to set your vehicle’s GPS — just follow the aroma of garlic.

The 22nd Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival ends Saturday night in downtown Plymouth with great entertainment, a spectacular parade, and a thrilling Kielbasa Competition.

If you like Polish cuisine, the Kielbasa Festival offers plenty of the legendary Polish sausage — smoked and fresh varieties — in addition to potato pancakes, pierogi, halushki, and piggies.

There are also all sorts of other food offerings up and down Main Street for people to enjoy — cheesesteaks, strombolis, pizza, sausage sandwiches, ice cream, and much more.

And don’t forget the funnel cakes!

Plymouth Mayor Frank Coughlin said the festival brings people back to the town to enjoy the food, the music, and the fun.

“Almost every storefront along Plymouth’s Main Street is filled with viable, successful businesses that visitors will see and patronize during the Kielbasa Festival and beyond,” he said. “To me, the Kielbasa Festival is when old friends come home — friends who haven’t seen each other in years, and they share stories and enjoy good food and music.”

The mayor said the festival puts Plymouth in the spotlight.

“To me, it’s comparable to a family reunion — they come back to Plymouth and share stories with families and friends,” he said. “Plymouth will be in the spotlight.”

Coughlin has been the town’s mayor since October 2019. Before that, he served on the borough council, starting in 1996.

“It’s a good time for all who attend,” he said.

Alexis Eroh, president of Plymouth Alive, said the Plymouth Alive “Kielbasa Posse” was busy this week preparing to make the 22nd Kielbasa Festival a success.

“Each month, the 25-plus members of the Plymouth Alive crew meet to plan each year’s event,” Eroh said. “From the excellent live entertainment, to the parade, to the infamous Kielbasa Competition, so much thought and consideration is given to making the event a success. Plymouth residents plan their summers around the festival, bringing in families from all over the nation to attend this tradition that is truly like nothing else.”

Eroh said there are 104 vendors at this year’s festival, along with exciting live bands and family-friendly entertainment.

Eroh opened the two-day festival at noon on Friday, with the Wyoming Valley Barbershop Quartet singing the National Anthem.

Coughlin then offered a few remarks and introduced Mr. & Mrs. Kielbasa, the couple he had linked in marriage three years ago. Eroh then introduced this year’s Grand Marshals — Terry Womelsdorf and Jaynan Temarantz — who chaired the festival for many years.

Kielbasa parade and competition

The 22nd Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival will feature the Kielbasa Parade at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and at 2 p.m., the star-studded Kielbasa Competition will be held at the American Legion Post #463 on Center Avenue.

The Polka Bandski will play favorite tunes, and Mr. & Mrs. Kielbasa will make a grand entrance to get the party started.

Kielbasa competition judges

• Mayor Frank Coughlin, Plymouth Borough

• Bill O’Boyle, The Times Leader

• Terry Womelsdorf, Plymouth Alive

• Earl Cunningham, Plymouth Borough Council

• Tom Williams, WBRE

• Gianna Galli, WBRE

• Tommy McTague, Plymouth Fire Co.

• Alan Stout, Luzerne County Visitors Bureau

• Josh Evans, Goodwill Hose Co. No. 2

• Mayor George Brown, Wilkes-Barre City

• Rep. Alec Ryncavage, 119th District

• Brian Oppelt, Elm Hill Fire Co. #3

• Floyd Young, Kingston Fire Department

• Fran Pantuso, Gem 99 & 100

• Bob Kalinowski, The Citizens’ Voice

• Bill Evans, Plymouth Fire Department Chief

Prince and princess

Plymouth Alive has announced the 2026 prince and princess for the 22nd annual Kielbasa Festival.

Owen Briggs Reichart, 5, of Nanticoke, was named prince, and Adella Sharpe, 6, of Plymouth, is the princess.

They will reign over the Kielbasa Festival.

Mr. and Mrs. Kielbasa

The 22nd Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival will celebrate the third anniversary of Stash “Smokey” Kielbasa and his bride, the former Sophia Kishka.

The happy couple was married at the 2023 Kielbasa Festival — “linking” them together forever.

It was a memorable day when Coughlin performed the “double-ring” ceremony at the Sue Gryziec Memorial Band Shell in the center of town.

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