Visitors from Milwaukee spent Fat Thursday in Chicago exploring Polish culinary traditions, visiting Paczki Café and Staropolska, and discovering the rich collections of the Polish Museum of America before continuing to St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.

Seniors from Milwaukee celebrated a truly sweet Fat Thursday in Chicago on February 12, 2026. Three bus groups from Happy Times Tours arrived ready to experience Polish Chicago at its most festive — beginning with traditional paczki at Paczki Café, followed by a warm welcome at Staropolska, and a memorable visit to the Polish Museum of America.

Many visitors were surprised by how much history, culture, and storytelling they discovered inside the Museum’s walls. With new knowledge and plenty of smiles, the groups continued on to Chicago’s oldest Polish parish, St. Stanislaus Kostka, reflecting along the way on the shared roots and parallel histories of Polish communities in Milwaukee and Chicago.

It was a day filled with sweetness — not only from paczki, but from memories, connections, and the joy of celebrating tradition together.