In 2023 Croatians in the Copper Country held the first itiration of what would become CroFest this weekend. That event invited Joe Grlica, better known as Croatian Elvis, to add a different element to the cultural dinner. CroFest organizer Penny Menze says the idea was to bring in traditional elements cultural festivals enjoy, while also inviting the curious to explore another part of Calumet.
We did sell out and it was very successful. The people were just thrilled. I heard in Chicago, heard somebody that was from Pittsburgh, the head of the Croatian Fraternal Union. We were in a barbecue in Joe’s backyard in Chicago. And he told me he found out I was from Calumet. He goes, I heard you guys put on an event up there and your food was excellent. – Penny Menze, Organizer, CroFest
CroFest emphasizes family, friends and community through music, dancing, and most of all food. Menze says many Croatian dishes are slow roasted over the course of the day. While Cabbage ferments.
I called my friend in Chicago, will you come to Calumet and do like a dinner? He goes, well, yeah, what do exactly you want me to do? I go, just do exactly what you do in your backyard. Cause these Tambura players would come over. They would all be singing and playing. And then, they’d all be cooking and they’d all have the homemade wine. They had the homemade sausages. Because they were big, like in all that kind of stuff. – Penny Menze, Organizer, CroFest
Calumet was one of the first communities in America to welcome Croatian Immigrants. The village was also one of the first stages the Tamburitzans took. For 88 years the musical group has included the Calumet Theatre on its tour, sharing folk music and dance.
there was a strong basis of Croatians that still wanted that group to come. And then as the group itself expanded and they’ve since split from Duquesne, as the group expanded and included more ethnicities, more of the people here were included. So it was good because it made an enduring impact.
Festivities will start at 10 am on Saturday with brass baton twirling and tamburitza music. From 11am to 3 pm festival goers will enjoy music, kolo dancing, and food. In the evening CroFest will move inside to Shute’s for more dancing, community, and tambura music. Sunday will have the festival return to the Calumet Theatre for the 89th show of the Tamburitzans on stage at 2 pm.
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