Members of San Diego’s Polish community would say “Witamy,” or welcome, to the 2008 Polish Festival this weekend at St. Maximilian Kolbe Roman Catholic Mission, 1735 Grand Ave. While the event brings together Poles from Southern California and Arizona for two days of traditional foods, music and dancing from the old country, the event welcomes everyone to the 13th annual Pacific Beach celebration. “Come and experience Polish hospitality,” said Mission member Bogdan Maziarz. “It’s Little Poland away from Poland.” While common in the Midwest, Eastern European food isn’t easy to find in a border city filled with cheap and delicious taco shops, so it’s no wonder the variety of Polish dishes has hungry guests lining up for plates of pierogis (dumplings stuffed with potato, cabbage and cheese), Polish sausages and potato pancakes. Another favorite is bigos, or hunter’s stew, brimming with slow-cooked cabbage and a variety of meats and sausages. “It’s served hot, so when it’s cold outside, it’s a great thing to eat and warm up,” Maziarz said. Of course, the perfect pairing for such hearty fare is a cold bottle of Okocim or Zywiec, two of Poland’s best-known beers. There will also be plenty of desserts and cakes available for those with a sweet tooth. The festival begins Saturday, Oct. 11, at noon with a daylong lineup of music and dancing, including traditional dance groups Polanie (Yorba Linda), Giewont (Arizona) and Podhale (Los Angeles). As the evening approaches, the festival will switch to the American sounds of rock ’n’ roll and blues with performances by the October Fest Rock Band and Mystery Train of San Diego. Vendors specializing in arts and crafts will also be onsite during the festival. Sunday begins with the performance of the national anthems of both the home and host countries, followed by a lineup of more music and dancing. The children enrolled in the Mission’s Saturday school will also don traditional garb to perform for audiences from 2:15 to 2:45 p.m. The festival winds down with a 6 p.m. performance by Zbigniew Galazka. Maziarz said they are expecting approximately 4,000 visitors over the weekend and parking will be available across from the Mission. For information and a complete festival program, visit www.polishmission.org.