Title/Name/Summary
Polish Highlander Festival - Highlander Productions Inc.
History
The Village of Orland Park has received a request from Highlander Production Inc. to utilize Centennial Park West to host the “Polish FM Festival.” In 2005, the Village Board adopted a Centennial Park West Policy as it relates to the use of the venue by private groups (see attached 6/1/2015 legistar file #2015-0039). The policy requires private groups seeking to use the facility to obtain permission from the Village Board prior to approval and processing of a special event permit.
Highlander Production Inc. is owned and managed by Sylwester Jaszewski, and Maksymilian Guzy. They are proposing to host their annual “Polish FM Festival,” a Polish Highlander Festival at Centennial Park West. This festival will highlight Polish Highlander culture and heritage.
"Polski FM Festival” is a Chicagoland premier annual Polish ethnic festival that was held for the past eight years at the Polish National Alliance Youth Camp in Yorkville, IL. In order for the festival to grow, they expanded the festival into the Village of Niles in 2018. Staff contacted Niles and received positive reviews of the event. According to Village of Niles staff, Highlander Productions were cooperative and professional. They met all Village requirements. Staff also attempted to contact Yorkville, but was unable to get a response back.
Highlander Production Inc. has requested to bring this festival to the south side part of Chicagoland, specifically, the Village of Orland Park for the weekend of July 13th and 14th of 2019.
As a family friendly festival, this event typically draws around 3,000 people. For two days in July, Orland Park will become a destination where you can celebrate and experience the Polish Highlander culture and heritage. The festival would run from 12:00pm to 10:00 PM. The program will feature a rich display of music from local groups, as well as bands and artists from Poland.
Music and dance are important aspects of Polish culture. Special cultural focus will be given to the traditional Highlander folk dances and costumes. On each festival day there will be variety of musical acts and dance groups that perform on a main stage.
Food also plays a central role in Polish and Polish Highlander culture and traditions. Because of this, special emphasis will be placed on presenting authentic traditional Polish food based on recipes that were brought to America by Polish immigrants and are still preserved by their descendants today. During each festival day, a wide variety of Polish dishes will be presented and prepared on site, including traditional sheep cheese (oscypek); the beer garden will offer a variety of local and imported Polish beer.
The festival will also feature a youth soccer tournament, a bouncy house and a carnival for the children that attend.
More than 30 booths in Merchandise Market Place will showcase such items as: Polish glass art, handcrafted pottery, amber and crystal jewelry, traditional embroidery and tailoring, and leather crafts and metalsmith. Vendors and sponsors will also include local banks, real estate agencies, trucking companies and travel agencies.
In conjunction with the entertainment, the Highlander Productions Inc. will invite notable guests of Polish heritage to be guest celebrities, for example boxer Tomasz Adamek and Olympic gold medalist ski-jumper Kamil Stoch.
The “Polish Highlander Festival” will be dedicated to promoting greater awareness, understanding and appreciation of Polish Highlander heritage, culture, food and traditions. In order to deliver an exceptional Festival for the people in Orland Park and Polish-Americans around Chicagoland, Highlander Productions will provide a strong partnership with the Village of Orland Park. It is their desire to make Orland Park their annual home for their Festival. A tentative summary of the event is listed below:
- Hours of Operation: Saturday, July 13th 8am - 10pm (Begin with Children’s Soccer tournament), and Sunday July 14th 12pm-10pm (Begin with Mass on Main Stage), All music will end by 9:00pm
- Admission: $15 per adult; children 12 and under are free.
-They are proposing a stage that is 15 feet tall and 25 feet wide.
-They are proposing to fence the park with a 6 foot tall fence. There will be one main entrance and two emergency exits.
- Liability: A Certificate of Insurance will be provided by Highlander Productions
- Safety & Traffic Control: They intend to use Orland Park Police and Professional Security to oversee the event. They will have professional and certified first aid staff on site.
- Highlander Productions has agreed to make repairs to property that is damaged as a result of the event.
-Highlander Productions is also requesting permission to sell alcohol at the event.
Financial Impact
Highlander Productions Inc. will pay for all expenses related to the festival including but not limited to rental of park fee, all permit fees, licensing fees (liquor), requiring inspection fees, liability insurance fees. In addition, all unexpected fees incurred will be paid for by Highlander Productions Inc. This event is expected to bring revenue of a $2,000 Centennial West Rental fee plus permit fees into the Village of Orland Park. Liquor license fees will also be paid. It is also anticipated that additional indirect revenue will be seen throughout the Village from the thousands of attendees who will be visiting the community.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to approve the rental of Centennial Park West to Highlander Productions Inc. to produce the "Polish Highlander Festival" on July 13th and 14th of 2019. All Village ordinances and special event requirements must be met.