FRACKVILLE - The second day of the 98th annual Lithuanian Days had the usual amount of fun and entertainment on Sunday, but it also had an unexpected special guest.
The Most Rev. John O. Barres, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, stopped at the Schuylkill Mall to see what Lithuanian Days was all about. The bishop had been in Girardville in the morning to celebrate the Masses at St. Joseph and St. Vincent de Paul churches, stopping at the mall before heading back to Allentown.
During his visit, Barres walked through the center court, enjoyed homemade ethnic food and was introduced by festival emcee Paul Domalakes, the Knights treasurer.
"I am so glad to be here to be part of the celebration of your Lithuania heritage, which means so much to all of us. This is the time to celebrate this beautiful Lithuanian heritage and the culture behind it, but the fact that the Eucharist is what lives and keeps this heritage moving so beautifully," Barres said. He also noted the many young people who were performing, volunteering their time at the festival, and the young people attending the event.
"I am edified by the involvement of our younger generation," Barres said.
The afternoon's entertainment included one performance by the Gintaras Children's Dance Group from Mahanoy City, with leader Jo Ann Filiziani dancing with Dalton Seisler, 4, and Callie Seisler, 7, both of Auburn, and Taylor Walsh, 8, of Barnesville.
Children from the audience were invited to participate in a dance. Filiziani said the group was formed 11 years ago to get youth interested in preserving the Lithuanian folk dancing heritage in the area.
The day also saw the return of the Zilvinas Dance Group from Philadelphia performing twice at center court. The group performed many folk dances, including some with audience participation.
Also returning Sunday to perform twice was pop and folk singer Augis, the stage name of Eugenijus "Eugene" Dicevicius, a resident of Cleveland who emigrated from Lithuania eight years ago.
"I came here from Lithuania eight years ago," Augis, 39, said. "I've been in music over 20 years. I used to play in bands, but life changes, especially when you have a family, so now I'm on my own."
When he is not performing on Sundays, he co-hosts a Lithuanian radio program in Cleveland at a college radio station operated by John Carroll University. Augis has performed twice in Boston this year, and one time in Washington, D.C. Next month, he performs in Cincinnati, and will perform in Detroit for New Years Day. He will also perform 10 concerts in Cleveland this year.
"I've enjoyed it very much here. They are extremely friendly people," Augis said, who is making his first visit to Schuylkill County. "I hope to come here again."
Augis said the Lithuanian radio program is broadcast on WJCU 88.7-FM every Sunday from 8 to 10 a.m. The show can be heard on a live stream on the Internet by visiting www.wjcu.org.
The afternoon also included a talk on searching a family's heritage by genealogist Thomas Saduaskas and a quiz on the 2012 London Olympics by Lithuanian native Laurynas Misevicius, who emigrated from the city of Kaunas to the United States 18 years ago and lives in Edison, N.J. He attends Lithuanian Days every year as a vendor of Lithuanian products ranging from clothing, jewelry, books, magazines and food, including Lithuanian beer.
"Just 10 minutes ago, Lithuania won its second gold medal, bringing the total medals to five," Misevicius said.
Sponsored by the Knights of Lithuania Anthracite Council No. 144, Lithuanian Days is the longest running consecutive ethnic festival in the United States, originally being held at Lakewood and Lakeside parks in Barnesville. When both parks closed, and after a time at Rocky Glen Park in Moosic, the festival was moved to Schuylkill Mall.