I vacationed in Cleveland this summer and was, as my friend Bob so succinctly put it, a polka tourist. To his credit my husband dutifully and (for the most part) joyfully accompanied me on this mission –who needs the beach?

DJ Kishka’s Polka Happy Hour at the Happy Dog Bar on W. 58th and Detroit was the first stop on our weekend itinerary. We literally drove 1100 miles round trip–well technically my husband drove the entire way because of my broken wrist– just to experience this vintage Cleveland event. It was every bit as kick ass fabulous as I hoped it would be.

Hundreds of hipsters across the city of Cleveland are rediscovering the joys of polka tunes and polka dancing and they have Justin Gorski (aka DJ Kishka) to thank. One Friday a month, Clevelanders (or is it Cleves?) cram into this cozy bar to listen to Kishka’s hilarious banter as he spins his Dad’s old polka records…for three hours. Seriously, it was fantastically fun. I loved the food (hotdogs with every kind of topping you can imagine), the people (young to old, hipster to biker), the camaraderie, and the music–polka rules. I think the population of Cleveland would be inclined to agree.

If you’re a doubter, check out this short video of DJ Kishka and the awesomeness known as Polka Happy Hour.

If you can’t make it to Cleveland, you can do the next best thing and buy a Polka Happy Hour CD from DJ Kishka’s website. Hey now! Why not invite your friends over and have a polka happy hour in your living room–all the cool kids are doing it.

Thank you, DJ Kishka for preaching the gospel of the almighty polka. Keep the faith!

Stay tuned for more Cleveland weekend polka highlights.