Producer prepares for Kielbasa Festival 2017Date: 5/4/2017
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Formerly known as the Kielbasa Festival, the annual rite of passage now known as the K-Fest is nearing, coming to loyal fans at the Eastern States Coliseum in May, loaded with a full menu of fine food and entertainment options.
The K-Fest four day festival, held in the past in Chicopee, coordinated by manager Thomas Kielbania Jr., of Chicopee, will run from May 25 through May 28. Opening night, admission for a carload of attendees is $20, which includes parking and festival entrance.
“It is the Kielbasa Festival, but I just call it the K-fest. What we do over there that is different and makes it a 21st century event is we have four nights of fireworks. We have two stages and phenomenal bands. They are much edgier. It is not going to be your mom’s K-fest,” Kielbania said.
“We have a comic con event called Popkon, coming in on Saturday and Sunday which is free. That will be the big, big thing that will build in the next couple of years. It is the platform for a lot of gaming and technology. I say dorks unite,” Kielbania said.
In addition to the bands and entertainment choices, the food choices will be aplenty, including of course many types of kielbasa available from the 30 different food vendors in 2017 at the festival.
“We will have more kielbasa than any other year. We try to get these kielbasa guys to not just serve their own kielbasa. You will have Blue Seal and Bernat’s. He will import some from Poland. There will be pierogis and kapusta, the whole none yards,” Kielbania said. “There will also be Tibetan food, a new brick oven pizza. We have Greek trucks. It is still international. At the Eastern States, the kielbasa festival can’t just be one thing.”
Kielbania added, “We have Zippy Pets, a rock wall and there will be free horse shows at the Eastern States this year. It is a good three, four hour event. I can’t describe the fireworks. We shoot over 5,000 a night. The best thing is the car load for $25. On Thursday night it will be a special of $20. Come see the fireworks, come have some food and see some great bands. We are a lot more edgy this year.”
By day, Kielbania works for Bay State Building Maintenance. In his after-hour time, the K-fest, fair to say, is Kielbania’s labor of love. He estimates the time involved to make the four-day event happen equals five months of full-time work spread out over a year.
“I have the ability to meet a lot of people. I am trying to establish and create a positive environment. We are trying to live a certain way at this festival, all working together,” Kielbasa said. “We all need to work together and look out for each other.”
To find out all the information for the four day, go to www.thekfest.com.
Event schedule for the two stages at the K-Fest include:
Stage A (by Pig Park)
Thursday
• “Second Hand Smoke” Santana tribute band: 5-10 p.m.
Friday
• “Southern Rain” A Country Cover Band Female/Male :5 -10 p.m.
Saturday
• “DJ Minion” DJ Minion Family Dance Party 12-2 p.m.
• “Beer Hall Boys” Polka Polka Polka 2-6 p.m.
• Kielbasa Eating Contest 6 p.m.
• “Crazy Diamond” A tribute to Pink Floyd 6:30-10p.m.
Sunday
• “DJ Minion” DJ Minion Family Dance Party 12-1p.m.
• “The Cajones Band” – Slap Cajun Acoustic Music 1:15-24 p.m.
• “The Addis Revolution” Bob Marley Tribute, 3-5 p.m.
• “Taija New” pop dance performance group 5:30-5:50 p.m.
• K-Fest Food Vendor Competition for “King of KFEST” 6 p.m.
• “Ticket To Ride” A tribute to the Beatles 6:30-10 p.m.
• The 2017 First Annual Riley Steel Drum Off 9p.m. During the fireworks.
Stage B by Big Kahuna
Thursday
• “Triple X - Cover Band” West Springfield’s Female Tribute to 80's and 90's Arena Rock 5-10p.m.
Friday
• “One Bill Breault” Arena Cover Rock Celebration and first Western Mass. KFEST Live Music Awards Ceremonies 5-10 p.m.
Saturday
• “The Chicken Yard” country original music and covers: 1-2:30 p.m.
• “Jimmy and the Hat Tricks” a modern rock female fronted cover band 3-5:45 p.m.
• “The Life Electric out of Boston” original pop rock band from Boston 6:10-7:10 p.m.
• “Stefanie Jasmine Band” Boston's Own Country Star, covers and original award nominated hits 7:30-9:55 p.m.
Sunday
• “Deftones Family Tribute” Pophard rock for family fun! ˜Noon-1 p.m.
• “DJ Minion” DJ Minion Family Dance Party 1-2 p.m.
• “Polka Party salutes John Daigle” 2-6p.m.
• “Ready, Set, Go!” young, energetic, top 40s pop band. 6:30-10 p.m.
Popkon
Over 25,000 square feet of live nerd fun In the Young Building on Saturday noon-8 p.m. Western Massachusetts’ first Annual comic con Event at the K-Fest. “501st Legion and Special Guests” Star Wars live actor reenactment event 4 - 9 p.m. on side of Young Building floor stage.
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