The Plymouth Alive group held up the sign for the winners of the Best Smoked Kielbasa category.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Courtney Allabaugh, left, and her daughter Leody Bennett at the Kielbasa Festival Parade.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Accordion player from the Polka Bandski.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
One of the leaders of the festival and his dog in the parade.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Wyoming Valley West Marching Spartans in the parade.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Dan Van Why, band leader of the Polka Bandski, performs for the crowd at the American Legion in Plymouth.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Dan Van Why, band leader of the Polka Bandski, sings with the crowd at the American Legion in Plymouth.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Jaynan Temarantz, Grand Marshal of the Kielbasa Festival, gave a speech at the competition.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Mayor George Brown of Wilkes-Barre, left, and Mayor Frank Coughlin of Plymouth Borough were some of the judges at the competition.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
One of the judges at the Kielbasa Festival competition.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
One of the judges, Fran Pantuso, from Gem 99 & 100, takes a bite of the Kielbasa at the competition.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Mrs. Kielbasa fist-bumped one of the judges at the competition.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Some of the crowd at the festival.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Marie Mcelwee left, and Nicci Roland enjoyed their ear of corn at the festival.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
Matt Moleski, left, and Jackie Josefowicz from Schiels Family Markey at the bestival.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
From left, Matthew Alonso, Morgan Reese, Tanner Lowe, and Brayden Issall from Marty’s Pizza and Pierogies in Nanticoke were at the festival.
Amber Jones | For Times Leader
PLYMOUTH — Two first-time entrants in the Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Competition each won first-place prizes.
After a rousing scene at the Plymouth American Legion Post 463 on Center Avenue, led by Dan Van Why and the Polka Bandski, Alexis Eroh, president of Plymouth Alive, announced the winners in the fresh and smoked kielbasa categories.
Results are:
Fresh Kielbasa
First Place: Leonard’s Market
Second Place: Schiel’s Family Market
Third Place: Tarnowski’s Kielbasa
Smoked Kielbasa
First Place: Schiel’s Family Market
Second Place: Tarnowski’s Kielbasa
Third Place: Glen Lyon Brothers Kielbasa
The overflow crowd at the American Legion cheered and sang along as Polka Bandski played Polish favorites and added a few patriotic tunes in honor of America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Mr. & Mrs. Kielbasa, celebrating their third anniversary, made a grand entrance to get the party started, dancing to several polkas and high-fiving the entire crowd.
The contest followed the spectacular 22nd Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival Parade, which featured co-Grand Marshals Terry Womelsdorf and Jaynan Temarantz, who co-chaired the event for many years.
The parade also featured police, fire and EMS vehicles, many of the town’s non-profit organizations, the Wyoming Valley West Marching Band and cheerleaders, and classic cars of the past.
Mr. Peanut also walked in the parade, and Elvis sang tunes atop a fire truck.
The 2026 prince and princess of the Kielbasa Festival — Prince Owen Briggs Reichart, 5, of Nanticoke, and Princess Adella Sharpe, 6, of Plymouth — waved to the crowd along the way.
The Kielbasa Festival offered plenty of the legendary Polish sausage — smoked and fresh varieties — in addition to potato pancakes, pierogi, halushki, and piggies.
There were 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 funnel cakes!
Plymouth Mayor Frank Coughlin said the festival brings people back to the town to enjoy the food, the music, and the fun.
“To me, the Kielbasa Festival is when friends who haven’t seen each other in years come back to their hometown and share stories and enjoy good food and music,” the Mayor said.
The mayor said the 22nd Kielbasa Festival again put Plymouth in the spotlight.
“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,” Eroh said. “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 were 105 vendors at this year’s festival, along with exciting live bands and family-friendly entertainment.
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Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.