It's Sunday, so it must be POLKA TIME! Bra ha ha!

When I was growing up in Buffalo, on Sunday many radio stations changed their format for the day, and played nothing but polka music. Even to this day, several radio stations continue the Sunday polka tradition, if only for a few hours.

Meanwhile, in Cleveland, on Sunday some radio stations play polkas and oompa-like German and Eastern European ethnic music during certain blocks of time throughout the day. A station might play a couple hours of Polish polkas, then a couple hours of Hungarian oompa music, then German oompa music, and so on.

What are the origins of the many Sunday polka shows? Are they common in other cities? Why Sunday?

I don’t know, but I love when I’m in the car on a Sunday morning and remember to turn on the polka show. It reminds me of my grandparents. I have no other interest in polka at all, but there’s something about listening to it on the radio early on Sunday that is wonderfully nostalgic. It’s so darn cheerful.