There might be 125 days left before Paczki Day (March 4, 2025), but you can begin celebrating early by attending the Paczki Party & Mardi Gras Dessert Tasting Experience.
The festivities, hosted by the Wisconsin Bakers Association, will take place on Sunday, February 23, 2025 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Polish Center of Wisconsin, 6941 S. 68th St., in Franklin. Advance tickets are required, as the event will sell out.
During the event, guests will be given a lanyard-style Mardi Gras bead passport which they can redeem at bakery stations for samples of paczki, king cakes, or other Mardi Gras-related desserts.
Participating Wisconsin Baking Association member vendors include:
- Cranky Al's
- Grebe's Bakery
- Le Rêve Patisserie & Café
- Elsie Mae’s Canning and Pies
- Greige Patisserie
- Bakehouse 23
- Breadsmith - Appleton
In addition to sampling delicious treats, attendees can enjoy live accordion music by Jimmy Locke, fun photo ops, a coloring contest for kids, a raffle benefiting the Wisconsin Bakers Foundation, door prizes and a special guest appearances by Little Miss Polish Fest.
Each attendee will receive an admission ticket to 2025 Polish Fest. A cash bar (21+) with paczki pairing options will be available as well.
Get your tickets
Advance tickets are required and currently VIP admission can be purchased online for $40 (VIP Admission gives you first choice of timeslots and includes an exclusive event t-shirt).
To keep tastings manageable, guests must sign up for a specific arrival time for their tasting experience. Time slots will begin at 10 am with the last tasting session starting at 1:00 pm.
This event sells out every year, so get your tickets while they are available.
Allergen Statement
Attention customers with food allergies. Please be aware that desserts at our event may contain or come into contact with common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, soybeans, tree nuts, peanuts, or wheat. While we take steps to minimize risk and safely handle the foods that contain potential allergens, please be advised that cross-contamination may occur, as factors beyond our reasonable control may alter the formulations of the food we serve, or manufacturers may change their formulations without our knowledge.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
