Polka Days

attract fans

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

GIBBON -- Polka music fans stood in line reserving booths early Wednesday afternoon as the 31st annual 2001 Polka Days & Variety Music Festival got under way at the Gibbon Ballroom.

Polka buffs came from as far away as California, Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Marv Nissel Show Band kicked off Polka Days for dancers in the Main Ballroom at noon Wednesday. The band opened with old-time polkas and waltzes.

The crowd thrilled Gibbon Ballroom owner Dick Seeboth of New Ulm.

"We're very happy with it; it's because of Dan Witucki. He's really going to make it for us," Seeboth said. "Our average guest drives 60 miles to get here. By and large, this isn't supported heavily locally but with Dan coming, I think lots of locals will come out."

Seeboth expects a packed house today for Dan Witucki and Friends, arriving direct from Disney World. Witucki's group performs at 2-4 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. in the Main Ballroom today, Friday and Saturday.

The excitement began earlier this week when polka fans with trailers and Winnebagos parked at the ballroom grounds in preparation for the five-day event. They celebrated Wednesday night with a musical jam session in the South 80 bar.

Mary and Nyle Schelle of Glidden, Iowa, thought nothing of driving 200 miles one way to Gibbon. They'll drive back home tonight and return Friday because they couldn't find a place to stay. No big deal to them. They haven't missed Gibbon Polka Days in 31 years.

More trips to Gibbon are in store for the Schelles, who traded farming for polka fests in 1975.

"If the weather is good, we'll drive up in the spring and fall too for polka music here," Nyle Schelle said. "We've never seen a crowd like this at the start of the festival before. We never reserved a booth before. It must be because of Dan Witucki. He used to play here a lot."

The Dan Witucki and Friends band is one of the Schelle's favorites along with the Larry Olson and Leon Olsen bands.

Joann and Louis Vallosio traveled from Galesburg, Ill., which is near Peoria, for their first Polka Days in Gibbon. Louis learned about the festival from a friend in the Springfield, Ill., Polka Club.

They especially like the indoor dance floors at the ballroom.

The Vallosios favorite bands play Slovenian style music.

"We don't do the hop; we like the faster, quick-step polkas," Joann Vallosio said.

Dorothy and Russell Knoblauch drove to Gibbon for their first Polka Days experience from Welch, which is near Red Wing.

"We go through here a lot on our way to visit our son in Canby. We knew Polka Days were here and decided to come. I've got to hear the music," Russell Knoblauch said.

B.W. "Tiny" and Betty Schmitz of Nebraska City, Neb., have yet to miss Gibbon Polka Days. The Schmitzes, staying at a New Ulm motel since Monday, passed out their own card stating that they were "Polka fans of all the bands."

The Schmitzes came to New Ulm to visit old friend Geneva Loeffelmacher, widow of former New Ulm polka band leader Harold Loeffelmacher.

The Schmitzes met each other in 46 years ago at Sokol Hall in Omaha where Harold Loeffelmacher and the Six Fat Dutchmen were playing.

Schmitz said big ballrooms are disappearing like lots of other good things.

Mayvis Jallo of Park River, N.D., said she really liked the air conditioned Gibbon Ballroom. She and her husband have traveled to ballrooms as far at Wichita, Kansas, to hear polka music.

Music and dancing continues until 8 p.m. Sunday night at Gibbon. Free shuttle bus service will be offered at 4:30 p.m. Saturday for Polka Mass at St. Willibrord's Catholic Church in Gibbon. The GFW School Bus Shuttle will pick up visitors interested in attending Sunday morning church services in and around Gibbon.