Joe Grkman Jr. was voted 2011 Man of the Year by the United Musicians Polka Association of Pennsylvania (UMPAPA).   PRESS RELEASE: The Grkmans have been honored to be selected as master artists for inclusion in the traveling art exhibit "MAKING IT BETTER : Folk Arts in Pennsylvania Today."   Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh is open for your dining and take out pleasure and we are happy to present live music weekly with the Grkmans! We appreciate your continued support and patronage of Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh! Please check the Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh Website and Facebook Page for current operating hours and further information. Click the following link to see when Steve, Joe and Mike Grkman will be appearing at Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh: https://www.hofbrauhauspittsburgh.com/experience/#band-calendar 2024 Band Performance Schedule Sunday July 14, 2024 Slovenefest, SNPJ Rec Center, Boro of SNPJ, Enon Valley, PA from 1:00pm to 2:30 and 4:30 to 6PM in the Heritage Pavilion •Friday July 26, 2024 Pricketts Fort, Fairmont, WV, 7 to 8:30pm, Amphitheater (if raining will be in Visitor Center) Sunday, September 1, 2024 *National SNPJ Days Celebration (Labor Day Weekend) Picnic, SNPJ Rec Center, Boro of SNPJ, Enon Valley, PA (Event will be in Heritage Pavilion from 1pm to 7pm alternating with Klancnik & Friends Band) FREE ADMISSISION Check back for updates... For more information on booking the band, recordings or performances, write to: Joe Grkman Jr. Joe "GRKMANIA" Grkman Band P.O. Box 584 South Park, PA  15129 Phone 724-348-5706 or e-mail us:  joe@grkmania.com  Making It Better: Folk Arts in Pennsylvania Today features over 30 master artists who work within and for their respective communities. The art, coming from every corner of the state, represents a wide array of traditions: from Sudanese dance to Slovenian accordion, from Aztec ritual flutes to Urban Graffiti; from blacksmithing born of the steel industry to Italian bobbin lace learned by girls as insurance against poverty; and from German Catholic sawdust carpets to Vietnamese funerary portraits. Objects, photographs, film, music and interactive stations allow visitors to experience these traditions with all their senses. Dispelling the notions that folk art is “quaint” and “something from the past” this exhibit demonstrates that although most traditional arts are rooted in centuries’ old practices; they are meeting the needs of those living in very modern times. The featured artists come from many cultures and traditions. They all have different reasons for settling in Pennsylvania. Some were born and raised here. Some are refuges seeking asylum. Some are immigrants who came seeking jobs and opportunities. Yet, all these artists have rich traditions that they love sharing with anyone who is willing to learn. Check out the exhibition travel schedule: http://www.folkartpa.org/index.html *Read about the Grkmans and other master artists in the essay "What does tradition have to do with it? Constructing cultural identity and community today" written by Dr. Lisa Rathje, Arts and Heritage Programs, Institute for Cultural Partnerships, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania http://www.folkartpa.org/Essays/Shaping%20CommunityPDF.pdf Read a transcription of the eight artists (including Joe Grkman) speaking about their work: http://www.folkartpa.org/Teachers/audio%20transcripts.pdf * Explore the exhibit themes: http://www.folkartpa.org/exhibit.html * Meet the artists: http://www.folkartpa.org/artists.html