Enjoyski Troyski on Dyngus Day
In March 2016, The Enjoy Troy Co. teamed up with The Hill at Muza, a new Polish beer garden in Troy’s Mt. Ida neighborhood, to create a new expanded line variation of the classic “enjoy troy.” products for Dyngus Day… yes, you read that right. Dyngus Day is an annual all-day-long Polish-American holiday all day long with live Polish music, unlimited kielbasa and good beer.
“Dyngus Day is sort of a Polish version of Saint Patrick’s Day,” said Adam Siemiginowski of The Hill at Muza. “It’s a big party with friends and family the Monday after Easter, when Lent is finally over and you can just let loose. Especially if you gave something up!”
A first generation Polish-American, Siemiginowski opened The Hill at Muza beer garden, adjacent to its partner restaurant Muza, with business partner Timothy Tyrrell in Spring 2015 . Siemiginowski’s parents Jan and Alicja Siemiginowski immigrated together from their native Poland to the United States nearly 40 years ago. For the past 9 years, the husband and wife team have owned and operated Muza, a Polish restaurant, with their daughter Agata.
In addition to food, music, polka dancing and drink, Dyngus Day festivities include a few quirky romantic traditions, such as sprinkling water on a love interest or lightly tapping your crush with a pussy willow branch.
(Note: This combination of funny sounding words and customs infamously sent media personality Anderson Cooper into an uncontrollable giggle fit on live television in 2012.)
TROY TAKES ON BUFFALO DYNGUS
In Poland and the Ukraine, the holiday is known as Śmigus-Dyngus. Elsewhere, the name is Dyngus Day.
Though Buffalo, N.Y. is widely recognized as hosting the largest Dyngus Day celebration, Siemiginowski thinks the small city of Troy, N.Y. has enough spirit to hold its own in pound-for-pound partying.
“Buffalo might be the Dyngus Day Capital of the Word, but I have two words to say to that: ‘Enjoyski Troyski,'” Siemiginowski said. (“Enjoy Troy” is a popular expression of civic pride in Troy, N.Y.)
“ENJOYSKI TROYSKI.” (RESPONSIBLY)
To commemorate Dyngus Day 2016, The Hill at Muza partnered with The Enjoy Troy Co. to create special branded Dyngus Day 2016 T-shirts featuring a customized “enjoyski troyski.” logo based on that company’s famous proprietary “enjoy troy.” oval symbol. The Enjoy Troy Co. also offers a non-branded infilled variation of the “enjoyski troyski” shirts at Artcentric.
“There is a saying that ‘Everyone is Polish on Dyngus Day,'” Siemiginowski said.
Note: The Hill at Muza encourages its patrons to enjoy Dyngus Day responsibly. The restaurant is working with several area taxi companies to offer reliable transportation home to any reveler in need of a safe, sober ride home.
Be sure to check out Dyngus Day each year at The Hill at Muza.
ABOUT THE HILL AT MUZA
The Hill at Muza is a modern European bar, beer garden and event venue nestled behind its popular parent restaurant, Muza, in Troy’s Mount Ida neighborhood, just up “The Hill” from downtown.
Patrons enter The Hill at Muza through a pair of black gates located at 379 Congress St. A narrow walkway between two buildings leads to a surprisingly charming open-air beer garden with intimate nooks of stonework and woodwork, as well as fanciful lighting by Troy-based Lightexture. The outdoor portion is heated by a roaring wood burning fire pit and a collection of commercial grade flame-torch patio heaters, creating a wonderful glow. Parking is available all along Congress Street, on both sides.
The beer list features brews from Central and Eastern Europe. The house draft is Zywiec, a pale lager that comes in full or half liter pours.
Street parking is available on both Congress and 15th Streets. There is also a bike rack on the 15th Street side.
**** PRONUNCIATION KEY ****
The following are pronunciation tips for the words and names in this post.
Muza = moo-zuh
Dyngus = ding-gus
Żywiec = ziv-yets
Siemiginowski = shim-ig-in-ow-ski