By Jennifer Topa
What is Dyngus Day? Historically a Polish-American tradition, Dyngus Day celebrates the end of the often restrictive observance of lent and the joy of Easter. During the celebration, it is common to flirt with pussy willows, get squirted by water guns and listen to live polka music. The word dyngus is defined as worthy. The tradition stems back to the baptism of Prince Mieszko I on Easter Monday in 966 A.D.
Believe it or not, Buffalo, NY is the Dyngus Day capital of the world, attracting tens of thousands of people to their festivities.
This year, the Highland Planning team got to be a part of it! On Monday, April 18th, our team set up a pop-up station at the Broadway Market to engage the community about the $10 million grant awarded to Broadway-Fillmore as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Our table included a “spin to win” station that drew over 100 participants, many of whom shared direct feedback with us about the DRI project. Participants were presented with a DRI Public Meeting reminder card, which included a QR code that linked to an online survey. The coveted t-shirts stating “What if Every Day were Dyngus Day?” were a hit! After much time away from in-person events due to the pandemic, it was a welcome return to interact, get feedback and have some fun!
What are you doing the Monday, April 10th 2023? Maybe it’s time for you to celebrate Dyngus Day in Buffalo, New York!