Ready to catch the fastest growing polka band in the nation?

Robbie Lawrence and The Steelworkers Polka Band is set to perform from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at this year’s Palmerton Community Festival

Rick Hasonich, drummer, said this will be the band’s first time performing at the event, and added the members are “very excited to bring our show to the Palmerton community.”

“Being this is our first time, we are excited to be a part of such an amazing, well-known festival,” Hasonich said. “We have heard a lot about the great community of Palmerton, and hopefully we leave a lasting impression with them.”

Hasonich said they typically play polkas, waltzes, oberek, and some traditional music sprinkled in.

He said the audience may also hear the traditional polka tunes, “Roll Out The Barrel,” “Edelweiss,” and “The Chicken Dance,” and added they bring new line dances with them too, such as the “Fliergerlied” or “Hande Zum Himmel” (which in English means “Hands to Heaven”), a German line dance that has caught on in the area.

Hasonich said their leader, Robbie, is also an accomplished yodeler, too, so they also play a few of those tunes, like “Mit Rukzek” and “De Kufsteiner Lied” to name two.

“We always say, polka music makes people happy; and happy people like to have fun,” he said. “So, expect a lot of energy and great dancing and singalong songs.”