For many, the Birmingham festival was one of the highlights of the summer season. The last festival was held in 2019. Then, the coronavirus reared its ugly head.
Since 2020, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4906 has held a Hungarian Food Fest as a way for the community to stay in touch.
“In 2020 we decided to have a Hungarian Food Fest to try and keep it alive,” said Jesse Sulaica, past post commander. “People came out, and we sold out of all of the food we had. We had precautions. People put on their masks and got out to celebrate.”
Mr. Sulaica said he fondly remembered the Birmingham Ethnic Festivals of the past.
“The festival ran all the way down Consaul Street, to the Rumpus Room and to the bend,” he said. “We had vendors lining up down the street. It was no longer just a Hungarian thing. It involved everyone in the neighborhood and the changing ethnicities.”
Bob Stewart, the current post commander, said the VFW decided to keep the festival going to try and revitalize the neighborhood.
The food fest is set for noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
“This year the Hungarian Club and Calvin United Church of Christ have joined in the festival,” Mr. Stewart said. “The festival brings in a lot of people who grew up in Birmingham and have since moved. This is where their roots are.”
The VFW post, located at 2161 Consaul St., will have Hunky Turkey, Hungarian hamburgers, chicken paprikas, pigs in a blanket, noodles with chicken, and noodles and cabbage. Take-out meals will be available.
Both Mr. Sulaica and Mr. Stewart said they missed the hurka and kielbasa that were made by the late Lou Takacs of Takacs Grocery and Meats. Mr. Takacs died in 2021. The store never reopened.
“This year, Kathy Lucas, who works at the post, is making the hurka for us, which will be for sale as well,” Mr. Stewart said. “This festival will honor and glorify the Hungarians and the Birmingham neighborhood.”
The post will have food and dining available inside the post as well as under tents in the lot.
From 1 to 4 p.m. music will be played by DJ Matt. From 5 to 8 p.m. Bobby May and the Dry Bones Revival will take the stage.
Betty Uvjagi, vice president of the Hungarian Club, has been involved with the festival for 35 years.
“The first festival was in 1974, and it was also a food festival,” Mrs. Uvjagi said. “I remember being at St. Stephens for it. It is always held the third weekend of August to celebrate St. Stephen’s Day.”
The Birmingham festivals grew to three-day events and then dropped down to two-day events.
“COVID got in the way, and we have not had a festival since then,” Mrs. Ujvagi said. “Last year the VFW held a food fest. This year, we decided to also join in. This really is the 50th anniversary of the festival, so we are trying to have a day in the old country again. We want people to come and enjoy the food. To have things they may not have had in a long time. I have always enjoyed hearing people tell me they had eaten something they had not had since their grandma made it.”
Carl Peatee, treasurer for the Hungarian Club, said the club is using his great grandmother’s recipe for the Hungarian cookies.
“I did tweak the recipe a little bit,” Mr. Peatee said. “We now use butter in the cookies because it really tastes so much better. So far, we have made about 200 dozen cookies.”
Mr. Peatee said the club, located at 224 Paine Ave., will also have cabbage rolls, chicken paprikas, and fried bread in both savory and sweet varieties available.
“We are making Birmingham hot dogs,” he said. “They are Hungarian sausage with essence of bacon, roasted bacon pieces, and all of the fixings. They really are great.”
Mr. Peatee said the club has had a resurgence of new members lately. Members are thrilled to be helping to rekindle the old festival.
“We are going back to our roots this year,” he said. “It is one day. There are no outside vendors, but we have traditional entertainment, food and dancers. It will be a great homecoming for festivalgoers.”
Marlene Danko has been busily preparing the desserts she has been known for. Ms. Danko used to have her own booth at the festivals prior to preparing the sweets for the Hungarian Club.
“The stuff I am making now, really is what I have made in the past,” Ms. Danko said. “The pastries include rice cake, pecan tarts, cottage cheese cake, nut and apricot cake, brownies, sugar cookies and Hungarian cookies in walnut, raspberry, or apricot. I am hoping they will be a great success.”
Mary Colling said she used to work at the Hungarian festival for over a decade. She is currently volunteering this year to help get the festival up and running again.
“There used to be a ton of people at the festivals back in the day,” Ms. Colling said. “They were a lot of work, but a lot of fun. I am glad that we are seeing more volunteers this year for the festival.”
Calvin United Church of Christ, located at 1946 Bakewell St., will have full chicken paprikas dinners in Calvin hall for $15. The meal includes chicken, dumplings with gravy, cucumber salad, bread with butter, Hungarian dessert, and pop or water.
Outside, the church will have Hungarian Turkey, crepes, cabbage and noodles, paprikas noodles, and homemade uncooked noodles for sale. Hungarian pastries including moon cakes and nut and poppyseed rolls will also be sold.
Entertainment includes the Dayton Festival Magyar Dancers at noon, the Cake Walkin’ Jass Band from 1 to 4 p.m., the Rumblin’ Rhythm Cloggers at 4 p.m., and DJ Res-Q Entertainment at 5 p.m.
For the food fest, cash can be used for purchases at all three of the sponsors. The Hungarian Club is the only one that will be able to take cards for purchases as well.
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