Summer road trip songs!
Plus, I’m breaking a rule Sunday night.
Polka season is coming. Your local brew pub is previewing Oktoberfest beers. The pumpkin spice meme machine is chugging out autumn candle content on social media.
Now is the time to tell your friends to tune into Polka Time to weave vintage polka music into their weekend schedule.
Road trip! (and a confession)
Truth: I’m breaking a Polka Time rule on Sunday night’s show. A listener asked to hear the Minnesota Waltz. I was sure I had a copy of the folksy song in my collection somewhere. Unfortunately I don’t have every album and song title in a spreadsheet. I searched. I found a bunch of versions of the Minnesota Polka, but no waltz.
There is a GREAT digital version online by an artist I’ve never heard of before. It’s worth including in the show, and I think you’ll like it. Tune in on Sunday night to hear this track along with other songs to inspire your summer road trips, hikes and stargazing.
Polka Time: Where and when to listen
LIVE - August 11
Sunday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona
Streaming - last week’s hall-of-famers rebroadcast
Saturday, 8 a.m. - WHYS-FM 96.3 Eau Claire - support WHYS
Saturday, 3 p.m. - WRJQ Goodtime Radio - support WRJQ
Saturday, 6 p.m. - WPCA-FM 93.1 Amery - support WPCA
Saturday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona - support WVMO
Sunday, 7 a.m. - WOJB-FM 88.9 Hayward - support WOJB
Sunday, 8 a.m. - WILW-FM 96.3 Waupaca
Sunday, 9 a.m. - WOCT-FM 101.9 Oshkosh
Sunday, 4 p.m. - WLSP-FM 103.5 Sun Prairie - support SPMC
Thanks to these community and volunteer-powered stations for keeping vintage polka on the air waves.
Events
September 19-22 — Green County Cheese Days, Monroe
Cheese Days is set to break the world record in the number of people dancing the polka at this year’s festival. And DJ Shotski is providing the polka tunes! Can you be a part of this exciting event? Mark your calendar and register with Cheese Days for details.
December 1 — Milwaukee Krampusnacht
Milwaukee Krampusnacht will be held on Sunday, December 1, 3-10 p.m. at Best Place and other businesses in the Historic Brewery District on Juneau Ave between 9th and 11th Street. DJ Shotski plays polka tunes from 5-7 p.m. in the historic Best Place hall.
Krampus is a folkloric monster of Alpine tradition. Children are told that goodly Saint Nick will reward them with treats if they are good, but if they are bad they will be visited by the hideous Krampus. Check back on the Krampusnacht website for updates.
Shotski Shop
Mailing Polka Legends stickers to polka fans last week was such a joy! People got stickers outside of the listening area of WVMO-FM too. Mount Horeb! New Glarus! Illinois! Find this design that celebrates Wisconsin’s polka hall-of-famers and more in my online shop.
Readers like you keep the Shotski Lodge open
The Shotski Lodge is a reader-supported publication. Support from subscribers like you gives me the confidence to pursue my mission to get more people to listen to vintage polka and vinyl records, including through this free e-newsletter.
Become a Shotski Lodge member - Substack offers paid subscriptions for people who want to be patrons of the Lodge’s mission.
DJ Shotski’s Venmo - skip the subscription and give via Venmo where transaction fees are lower.
Hire me for a gig! - your community needs a polka party. Email me at djshotski@gmail.com if you have a venue or an event that needs a vinyl DJ.
Donate records - the answer to free records is always “yes.” I’ll give your records a good home (or I’ll distribute them to my vinyl buddies). Email me at djshotski@gmail.com if grandpa’s records need to get out of the basement.