HARRISBURG — The Cooper Student Center on HACC’s Harrisburg Campus transforms into a polka dance party at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, with music and dancing with the Polka Family Band.
Come early for a free dance workshop at 7 p.m. with the group. All proceeds from the event go to the Live at Rose Lehrman performances in the Rose Lehrman Arts Center.
The Polka Family Band was invited twice to perform at Carnegie Hall for its Folk Festival. The band was invited to appear on "Polka Passion," a nationally televised documentary-concert on PBS. The group joined Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones and Karl and the Country Dutchmen for the program. Between 1990 and 1994, three of the band's recordings (“Fiddle Faddle,” “We Are Family,” and “Polka Music Fan”) were nominated for Grammy Awards.
The Polka Family Band began back in the 1970s as a single-family group in Southern California, playing for relatives and small public gatherings. Frank Guzevich, the father and leader was stationed at March AFB, near Riverside, Calif., in the early 1950s. He and his wife Nellie, a native Californian, had four children; Fred, Hank, Greg and Alicia. Frank specialized on the accordion, Fred played the guitar, Hank played the trumpet, Greg played the drums and Alicia sang and played the clarinet. In March 1988, the family relocated to Pennsylvania near Bloomsburg. Frank and Nellie later relocated to a mountain home where they lived until Frank's passing in 2006. The current band lineup includes Hank and Greg, along with Glenn Dydak, Josh Szymczak, Kevin Kurdziel and Nick Koryluk. Hank and his family live in the Bloomsburg area. Greg and his family reside in Allentown. The band continues to travel and perform throughout the country at dances, parties and various festivals.
Pre-show events include the free polka dance workshop, beer, beverages and snacks are included in the ticket price. Additional food items will be available for sale. Show sponsor is Joe Wojtysiak.
Ticket prices for the show are $15 Adult/Senior/Student and $10 Children (5-12). For more information or to purchase tickets for the show, contact the Rose Lehrman Box Office at (717) 231-ROSE (7673) or visit online at www.LiveatRoseLehrman.org.
