A summer festival filled with nonstop polka, nut rolls, Lake Bled cream cake, and a Slovenian pub might sound like something that requires a trip to Slovenia. Instead, Slovenefest brings it all to Enon Valley, an hour north of Pittsburgh.

Hosted by the Slovene National Benefit Society (SNPJ), the three-day festival celebrates Slovenian culture with traditional foods, polka dancing, live music, crafts, kids’ activities, and plenty of accordion appreciation. It returns to the SNPJ Recreation Center July 10-12.

Never been? Here’s where to start.

A Beginner’s Guide to Slovenefest

Wait, where exactly is Slovenia? And is it the same as Slovakia?

No. But to be fair, Europe did not make this one easy. The two countries have similar names, both became independent in the early 1990s, and they even joined the European Union in the same year.

So, Slovenia 101: It’s a small Central European country bordered by Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia, which means its location has been doing culinary and cultural networking for centuries. The result is a country where Alpine villages and Mediterranean vineyards somehow share an address. Its food reflects that cross-pollination: pastries and sausages with Austro-Hungarian roots meet wine traditions shaped by proximity to Italy. Basically, it’s the kind of place where a festival menu can include smoked sausage, roasted lamb, delicate cream cake, nut rolls, and wine tastings—which Slovenefest does—and it all makes perfect sense.

Can I buy bake goods to take home?

You can, provided you know what you are looking for. You are looking for potica (pronounced poh-TEE-tsah), or Slovenian nut roll. It is a meticulously rolled stuffed pastry that practically serves as an edible calling card for the country. 

At the crafters bazaar, the Pittsburgh-based vendor Glencoe Gourmet will be selling walnut, apricot, and poppy seed rolls, plus nuts spiced with slivovitz, a traditional Slovenian plum brandy. While you’re there, look for Jeffrey Kohut, also known as the Slovenian Potter. He hand-throws ornate clay potičnica molds—also known as ring baker bowls—you can use to bake a proper potica yourself.

Is someone demonstrating how to make a famous Slovenian cake?

Yes. And this is not your average sheet cake situation.

On Sunday, longtime SNPJ member Vida Kosir will demonstrate how to make kremšnita, better known as Lake Bled cream cake, a towering architectural marvel of flaky pastry, vanilla custard, and whipped cream. The dessert is associated with Lake Bled, Slovenia’s famous Alpine resort town known for its glacial lake, cliffside castle, and tiny island with a 17th-century church. Back in the 1950s, Lake Bled’s Park Hotel popularized the dessert and turned a locally loved cake into something worth planning a trip around.

Do I have to know how to polka?

No polka experience is required. Accordion appreciation may happen anyway.

The good news is that polka is not the tango. It’s built for participation: energetic, easy to join, and centered around a few basic steps. Which is why it’s a mainstay at wedding receptions, festivals, and dance halls, where generations of families learned as they went.

Much of the music you’ll hear at Slovenefest is Cleveland-Slovenian style polka, a uniquely American spin on Slovenian folk music that developed in immigrant communities around the Great Lakes. The accordion-driven style was made famous by Cleveland-raised Frankie Yankovic, the son of Slovenian immigrants who became known as America’s Polka King. Its Pittsburgh connection: the old Steelers Polka, the novelty song from the team’s early Super Bowl era, borrowed its melody from the same Cleveland-style sound.

Of course, Slovenefest understands that after your 14th accordion solo, variety is nice. The weekend also features more than 20 bands performing across four stages, including a 120-foot tent, outdoor pavilion, and indoor club room. Along with polka, you can catch Croatian tamburitza music, country, and pop-rock.

It is mid-July. Am I going to melt at Slovenefest?

Possibly. It is still Pennsylvania in July.

Fortunately, Slovenefest understands July in Pennsylvania. When you need a break from the heat and humidity, head inside the air-conditioned main building, where you can grab a seat in the dining room, visit the Gostilna—Slovenian for pub—or explore the SNPJ Slovenian Heritage Museum. The building is also accessible, with a lift between levels.

Consider it your home base between polka sets, nut roll runs, craft shopping, and Saturday night’s fireworks display.

Slovenefest, SNPJ Recreation Center, 270 Martin Road, Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Pittsburgh. Admission is $15-$20, with children 16 and younger admitted free.

Story by Kathleen Renda
Photo From Glencoe Gourmet

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