Hamtramck Celebrates Annual Paczki Day

Residents and visitors flock to the city for traditional Polish pastries and Mardi Gras-style festivities.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Paczki Day, a beloved annual tradition in the diverse city of Hamtramck, Michigan, is right around the corner. Each year, locals and out-of-towners descend on the town to indulge in the famous Polish pastries and participate in a day-long celebration filled with live music, drinking, and a paczki-eating contest.

Why it matters

Paczki Day is a cherished cultural event that brings the Hamtramck community together, showcasing the city's rich Polish heritage and vibrant Mardi Gras-inspired revelry. The festivities also highlight the town's diversity, as the holiday coincides with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The details

The epicenter of the Paczki Day celebrations is New Palace Bakery, where customers line up for hours to order dozens of the traditional Polish pastries. Other popular spots include Whiskey in the Jar bar, which hosts all-day festivities, and PLAV Post 10, which holds a paczki-eating contest at noon. The week kicks off with the annual Paczki 5k Run on the Saturday before the big day.

  • Paczki Day is celebrated annually in Hamtramck, Michigan.
  • The 2026 Paczki Day falls on February 13, 2026.
  • The Paczki 5k Run takes place on the Saturday before Paczki Day, February 14, 2026.

The players

New Palace Bakery

A local bakery that is the epicenter of Paczki Day celebrations, where customers line up for hours to order the traditional Polish pastries.

Whiskey in the Jar

A bar located around the corner from New Palace Bakery that hosts all-day Paczki Day festivities.

PLAV Post 10

A local organization that holds a paczki-eating contest at noon on Paczki Day.

Cathy Gordon

The former owner of the New Dodge bar, known for her uninhibited Mardi Gras-style antics on Paczki Day.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The annual Paczki 5k Run, which kicks off the Paczki Day festivities, will take place on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

The takeaway

Paczki Day in Hamtramck is a unique celebration that showcases the city's rich Polish heritage and vibrant diversity, as the holiday coincides with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The festivities bring the community together for a day of indulgence, revelry, and cultural exchange.