The Dyngus Day Parade may be this afternoon, but the partying started yesterday.
The polka band was The Beat, with members from New York, New Jersey and Ohio and the crowd at Salvatore's was from Buffalo.
" Buffalo is the place to be if you want to celebrate Dyngus Day," said Johnnetta, who was visting from Ohio.
Event organizer Val Bakowski says the party has been getting larger for several years, with hundreds showing up to get their Polish muscles in shape, ready for the parade and celebration.
"It's a party after Lenten observance. You give up so much for Lent and Easter Sunday your observance is done, so you break loose, almost like a Mardi Gras," Bakowski said.
The crowd was filled with red t-shirts reminding everyone they were Polish and there were traditional Polish dance groups like the Polish Harmony Polka Ensemble. Everyone reported preparing for the parade, the annual celebration of being Polish and Buffalonian, already equipped with pussy willows.
