Harmony Packer Polka Party

Flash back to the end of autumn of 2020. I’m enrolled in UW Health’s AstraZeneca vaccine trial, but the study is on hold and our only defense against the coronavirus was social distancing. Friends had some backyard Packer game watching parties for a handful of people when it was warm, but weather on game days was either cold or rainy or both as the season went on. Packer games had few to no people in Lambeau’s stands. It was weird. 

I stayed at home to watch games most of that season. But during commercial breaks and halftime, I played polka records. I thought, “when this is all over, I’m going to play polka records at a cool bar for a Packer game.” The idea kept my spirits up during a really hard time.

Flash forward to January 2, 2022, it happened. Brennan at the Harmony Bar and Grill in Madison’s Atwood neighborhood invited me to play. We talked through all of the options for sound and agreed that focusing on creating a festive atmosphere in the front room by the bar would be best.

It turned out to be a wonderful night. All the odds were against us. Single-digit temperatures, the day after New Years Day, lingering COVID concerns. But Harmony regulars are a committed, vaccinated, lively group of Packer fans, and there were exactly enough people to make it feel like a comfy, cozy family reunion. People danced and the Packers walloped the Vikings 37-10.