Apparently, the old timers are pretty disgruntled at the fact that what everyone knows as the "polka tent" at Festplatz is no longer just for polka.  This year there are a variety of performers playing under the big tent.  For example, tomorrow you can hear polka until 6:30 but then house and dance music invade until 10:45 pm.  I actually saw an older gentleman wearing a shirt that said "Festplatz ist Polka Platz" Does anyone know why the polka tent is no longer just polka?
-alisa

It's because the Musikfest people wised up and realized that most folks are interested in other types of music than polka. I don't know what the old timers are all up in arms about - polka still dominates the Festplatz schedule. Some people just fear change... Like Garth talking to Rob Lowe's character while beating the animatronic hand.

EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS NOT THE SAME. WE COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES...DIFFERENT COLORS...DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES. DIFFERENT LIKES AND DISLIKES. MUSIC TASTE ALSO VARY. THE "POLKA TENT" IS THE ONLY TENT WITH A DANCE FLOOR...IS IT FAIR THAT FOR 20 YEARS ONLY THE POLKA DANCERS HAD A PLACE TO DANCE? DID THE ROCK AND ROLLERS OR THE COUNTRY LINE DANCERS OR THE DISCO DANCERS WEAR SIGNS ON THEIR BACKS TO PROTEST THAT?? WHAT IS WRONG WITH SHARING??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH KEEPING AN OPEN MIND??? THIS WORLD IS SO "ME" ORIENTED. CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG????

I think it's because Musikfest finally realized that there are other genres of music that deserves attention. Kudos to whoever made that decsion at Musikfest...all that polka music was driving me nuts!

The reason for limited polka bands according to Jeffrey Parks is that there is a lack of polka dancers. Not true!! When the Chicago & eastern style polka bands are playing there are plenty of dancers. Truth is when polka bands are scheduled @ noon and early aftenoon there are few dancers. (schedule the hard rock, and other music in at that time slot and see how many are in the audience. ) Why not schedule the polka bands in the evening instead of the likes of Lyn Marie. A co-worker caught the Lyn marie show the other nite and was infuriated when LM decided to play a number that involved fat people - she asked for volunteers to come up to the stage and when no one came forward she asked people in the audience to raise their hand if there was a fat person next to them - and all this televised on Service Electric. She is bringing polka music to a new low.

People change...seasons change

Stella,

There is a "She's too fat for me." polka. The height of political incorrectness written at a time when there was no such thing...

STELLA...SATURDAY THERE WERE ALL 80'S BANDS AT FESTPLATZ. MY SON'S BAND PLAYED IN SWELTERING HEAT FROM 2PM-3:30 P.M. THE TENT WAS PACKED!! THE DANCE FLOOR WAS PACKED!!! AND THEY WERE DANCING AND SINGING IN FRONT OF THE STAGE...THE WHOLE 90 MINUTES. MAYBE MR. PARKS HAS A GOOD IDEA DIVERSIFYING THE TENT.

NOBODY THINKS POLKAS SHOULD NOT EXIST IN THE TENT...IT IS JUST BIG ENOUGH TO SHARE.