Growing up in Lansford, Joseph Spack says polka was about the only thing that his family listened to.

"That's what I grew up listening to. That's the only thing my dad had on the radio. If it wasn't on the radio, it was his records playing," he said.It was his father's love for polka that inspired the Spack children to pick up the traditional instruments and start their band, the Villagers, more than 40 years ago.Today, the villagers are keeping the polka tradition alive, while mixing in other genres. They will bring their sound to the Palmerton Community Festival Saturday between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.When Spack was growing up, polka was widely popular in this area, especially among its Polish and Slovak communities. Spack says he remembers the family going to church festivals all over the area to see bands like Gypsy Joe and the Emeralds."Almost every catholic church had a festival each summer - there was always a band playing," he said.His dad dreamed of having his children start a polka band, something Joseph Spack says he would have done himself, had he not been forced to start working to help support his family."My dad never had the opportunity to play an instrument, in those days you quit school and went to work. he's the one who started the band," he said.The band was initially called the Villagers, but they had to add Pennsylvania due to a dispute with another band that had the name.Over the years they have replaced some members, but consistently played at events around the East Coast. They play Oktoberfests and Polish Clubs from Connecticut to Maryland.Today, they continue to play polka, although they have expanded their repertoire to include other genres. But they will always include the music that inspired them 40 years ago."It's in your blood, you just keep going with it," Spack said.