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Easter Sunday may get all the attention, but Michele Wood has spent a decade making the case that the Monday after deserves its own celebration.
Wood, the founder of Dyngus Day DC, will bring the 10th annual edition of her DMV Polish-American holiday gathering to The Light Horse restaurant and bar at 715 King St. on Monday, April 6, from 5 to 9 p.m. The event is free, 21 and older, and will be held on the venue's second floor.
Dyngus Day — also known as Smigus-Dyngus — is a centuries-old Polish tradition observed the Monday after Easter marking the end of Lent and the arrival of spring. In the United States, the holiday is most associated with Buffalo, N.Y., where it has long been celebrated with polka music, pussy willows, pierogis and good-natured water splashing. Wood, a University at Buffalo alumna, launched the DMV version more than a decade ago as a grassroots effort to bring the tradition to the Washington region.
The Light Horse will feature Polish beer and food specials for the occasion. Live polka will be performed by the Justin Paschalides Duo from 6 to 8 p.m.
In honor of the 10th anniversary, organizers will raffle off a pierogi plushie — imported from Poland — as a local fundraiser. Raffle tickets are $10 cash each, with proceeds benefiting a local organization. Wood said organizers are also planning additional surprises for the milestone anniversary, though details have not yet been announced.
Attendees are encouraged to wear red and bring party hats or flower crowns. No squirt guns are permitted. The Light Horse is located a short walk or trolley ride from the King Street Metro station.
There is no cover charge. RSVPs are encouraged at facebook.com/events/1614200153344446. Updates are available by following Dyngus Day DC on Facebook and on Instagram at @DyngusDayDC.
