It was the Wurst of times....

Located in northeastern Pennsylvania, the Pocono Mountains is a 2,400 square mile region in the upland of the larger Allegheny Plateau.  The escarpment overlooks the Delaware Valley and Delaware Water Gap to the east, with the mountains bordered on the north by Lake Wallenpaupack, on the west by the Wyoming Valley, and to the south by the Lehigh Valley.

Its wooded hills and valleys have been a popular vacation area for a long time. Resort hotels with fishing, hunting, skiing, and other sports facilities are plentiful.

The Poconos are famous for honeymooners!   For generations, these Pennsylvania hills have been the go-to spot for newlyweds and other lovers. The brochure says 'With their heart-shaped bathtubs, big round beds, and relentless promotion of priapic pleasures, Poconos honeymoon hotels go all out to create a setting for sex.'  No heart-shaped beds are anywhere to be found in the Silver Chalet, sadly enough...

It is our first night here, and the new pink flamingo garden kite is just a twirlin' and a whirlin' in the breeze.  From just across the road, I hear....wait is that a bagpipe?  No...it's a trumpet!  No, no...it's a guy playing an accordian!  And, he's pretty darn good!

Is this our accordian-playing neighbor...???

He reminds me of one of the lounge lizard skits on SNL, you know the one I mean...Bill Murray as Nick, the Lounge Singer in the Honeymoon Room, crooning 'Strangers in the Night', 'Feelings' and 'The Star Wars Theme' where he made up lyrics like 'Star Wars/Nothing but Star Wars/Give me those Star Wars/Don't let them end!'  'Margaritaville',  'Under the Boardwalk', 'You'll Never Know How Much I Love You', and on and on for a couple of hours!  Mike is thinking of going over to add to his tip jar!

Just a few miles away, we are thrilled to find the Pocono's Wurstfest.  'Oktoberfest in July' is in its third year.  One ad proclains 'Get the BEST at the WURST-fest!'   Yumm-oh...wursts, wieners, kielbasa, pierogies and crafted brews!  Polka bands and German Oom Pah bands, Polish & German dancers and craft vendors galore!

Is our serenader 'Krzysztof the Polish Accordian Player'?  Is he going to be playing along with Eddie Derwin & the Polka Naturals, the German Hungarian Schuhplattlers, The Schwarzenegger Connection ? ! The Bavarian Juggling Shows and the 'Hot Dog' Races....yeah, fun!

We score primo seats, a front and center table with a great view of the band and the dance floor.  Eddie Derwin & the Polka Naturals are playing and the dance floor is crowded with polka enthusiasts.

Young and old, moms and kids, dads and kids, women dancing with women...It is impossible for me not to tap my feet and clap to the beat.

Bratwurst, kraut and a Hoegaarden beer!  Lawn chairs, hay bales, benches, the Main Stage/Fest Tent is packed!  It is a pleasant day, temp-wise, and yet  I keep hearing....'It's so hot, today!'

I just reply, 'Well, when you're from Florida and having lived in Texas for 50 years...this is a cold front!'  hahah  'Yeah,' they always reply 'everything is relative!'  I have to agree!

Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra take the stage.  They are back again by popular demand and once they start playing, the energy level in the tent perceptably rises a few notches!

We soon learn that Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra have over 106 recordings, 18 Grammy Awards and are listed on the Top Ten list of All-Time Grammy Awards. They are truly the hottest musical attraction in the polka field and we soon find out why!  The eleven  piece orchestra features clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, accordian and fiddle players.

His band is touted as the most popular polka band in America, and have their own TV show on the RFD-TV network, a network devoted to rural America.  They have had numerous sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, as well as one at the Palace of Culture in Warsaw, Poland.

Jimmy is Irish-American, but his fans don't care.  The multi-talented clarinetist, trumpeter, saxophonist carries off the 'I'm Polish' persona to perfection.  The band constantly attracts crowds of screaming, adoring fans wherever their travels take them. Their tremendous popularity has resulted in not only their numerous Grammy Awards, but also in being voted "The #1 Polka Band In The Country" for the past ten years.

Due to the great demand for live appearances by Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra, they have an extensive road schedule. While on the road they travel in Jimmy's forty-five foot customized tour bus.

We are so fortunate to have stumbled upon this Wurstfest featuring a polka band with a huge fan base, voted #1 in the country, and considered the best in polka music.   I am even able to cajole Mike into one dance!  A slow one, of course!

Things wind down around six o'clock....we thought 8 o'clock was quittin' time!  We are disappointed to see the band pack up their equipment, so we slowly make our way to the parking lot.  And there, gleaming in the twighlight is a vintage '57 T-Bird.  Nice!

For more information about the festival:  http://www.shawneemt.com/s_poconoswurstfestival.html