Hamtramck gears up for Fat Tuesday’s Paczki Day

Thousands of visitors will be lining up at our bakeries this Tuesday in celebration of Paczki Day.

By Charles Sercombe
Just as winter is about wearing out its welcome, here comes Hamtramck’s own National Holiday.
Paczki Day.
Yes, that wonderful day celebrating the world’s most revered donut – well, at least in Hamtramck’s glazed-over eyes – is arriving this coming Tuesday, February 17, starting at the crack of dawn, if not before, and continuing until at least the legal closing time for local bars.
New Orleans has Mardi Gras, Hamtramck has an overstuffed donut and thousands of metro area fans who gravitate to our local bakeries to wait for three-plus hours to buy a few dozen of these once-a-year wonders for their families and co-workers.
The smart ones, who can afford to, take the day off and just hit our local bars and make a day of it.
There is plenty of free live music all day and night here in Hamtramck, and if you plan right you can see The Polish Muslims three times in one day.
But if you really want to make a day of it, start it out right by stopping by the Hamtramck Moose Lodge on Conant just north of Holbrook (9421 Conant) where for a mere five bucks you can get a hearty breakfast, featuring eggs, kielbasa – and yes, paczki.
It starts at 7 a.m. and goes on until it’s all gone. That’s $5, folks, just $5.
After you fill your belly, head on over to the New Dodge Lounge (8850 Jos. Campau) to kick the day into high gear with Hamtramck’s favorite party band, The Polish Muslims, who plug in at 10:30 a.m. and continue until 12:30 p.m.
Get there early because it gets crowded real quick.
After The Polish Muslims, New Dodge will also feature DJs during the day, a visit by the “Jager Girls,” Polish food served up all day and at 9 p.m., open mic comedy. Trust us, by 9 o’clock — at least on this day — everyone is a comedian.

Hamtramck’s favorite party band, The Polish Muslims, will once again be playing at three different locations on Paczki Day, next Tuesday.

If you miss The Muslims perform here, you can catch the band, after they take a quick lunch, at Whiskey in the Jar (2741Yemans) starting at 2:30 p.m. The bar also features drink specials, Polish food and dancing in a heated tent.
Oh yeah, if you are traveling with friends, be sure to order up a group shot served on a ski. For you people of non-Polish descent, you’ll get the joke later.
If you can’t join the festivities until after work, The Polish Muslims stagger over to PLAV Post 10 Hall (11824 Jos. Campau) for one more long set starting at 6:30 p.m.
That’s not the only musical highlight of the day.
Small’s Bar not only features their very own creation called Paczki Bombs (yes, that’s a booze-filled paczki) but also one of the best musical highlights of the day: Polka Floyd.
If you are not familiar with the band, they play what their name implies: Pink Floyd tunes done to a polka beat. This is not to be missed. They play two sets, one starting at 6:30 p.m. and another at 8 p.m.
Small’s opens at 10 a.m. Also playing that day is another not-to-be missed group, Eastside Elvis, starting at 4 p.m.
Over at PLAV Post 10, Srodek’s Polish Kitchen will be serving up the real deal all day, or however long it lasts. Remember, a paczki partying crowd is a hungry bunch so get it while you can.
You can look inside this issue for the advertisements of local bakeries and their special offerings. The two most popular bakeries are New Palace and New Martha Washington, both within walking distance of each other on Jos. Campau.
The only catch here is you can expect long lines and a long wait.
Other locations to pick up paczki, but without the long wait, include Bozek’s Market, Detroit Donut, Family Donut, Srodek’s, Bear’s Deli and the Polish Market.