Organizers of the South Texas Polka and Sausage Festival in Hallettsville announced yesterday that this year's festival has been canceled. The event was scheduled for March 26-28.

"We regret to inform you that the 2021 South Texas Polka & Sausage Fest scheduled for March 26th-28th has been cancelled due to the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus," organizers said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. 

"We apologize for the inconvenience to our many patrons who may have been planning a trip to Hallettsville for this weekend. We pray that you are all healthy and we look forward to an end to this pandemic."

Despite the unfortunate news about the South Texas Polka and Sausage Festival, there will be plenty of dancing this weekend for Valentines Day. Grab your sweetheart and shine up those dancing shoes! Check with the venues first, though. There have already been some cancellations due to the winter storm.

CANCELED!!! NEW BRAUNFELS: Vagabonds at Krause’s Cafe, 6 p.m.

SCHROEDER: Travis McQueen at Schroeder Hall, 7 to 10 p.m.

RICHMOND: Das Ist Lustig at the Sauer Kraut Grill in Richmond, 6 p.m.

COUPLAND: Jarrod Birmingham live at Coupland Dancehall, 9 p.m.

CANCELLED!!! NEW BRAUNFELS: The Georges at Krause’s Cafe, 6 p.m.

SCHROEDER: Randall King with Jake Worthington at Schroeder Hall, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

CISTERN: Boogie Allen at Cistern Country Store, 8 p.m. to midnight.

SCHROEDER: Valentine’s Dance with Rocky King Band live at Schroeder Hall, 6 p.m.

HALLETTSVILLE: Broken Alibi at Blase’s Hall near Hallettsville, 8 p.m. to midnight, $15 cover

COUPLAND: Rick Trevino + James Lann Valentines Show at Coupland Dancehall, 9 p.m.

WALLIS: Happy Cousins Dance Club with Texas Sound Czech at Wallis American Legion Hall in Wallis.

CANCELLED!!! NEW BRAUNFELS: The Czechaholics at Krause’s Cafe, 2 to 6 p.m.

NEW BRAUNFELS: The Czechaholics at the Elks Lodge Annual German American Maskenball, 7-10:30 p.m., Tickets at the door or online.

WEIMAR: Nathan Colt Young Band at the Whistling Duck Winery near Weimar, 2 p.m.

KOSSE: Valentine’s Dance with Jerry Haisler and the Melody 5 at Common Ground Cowboy Church in Kosse (Limestone Co.).

SWEET HOME: Nathan Colt Young at Sweet Home Hall, 2 to 6 p.m.

HALLETTSVILLE: The Czechaholics at Blase’s Hall, 3 p.m.

SHELBY: Blue Denim at Harmonie Hall in Shelby, 2:30 p.m.

SCHROEDER: Nick Russell at Schroeder Hall, 7 to 10 p.m.

RICHMOND: Das Ist Lustig at the Sauer Kraut Grill in Richmond, 6 p.m.

COUPLAND: Max Stalling + Matt Castillo at Coupland Dancehall, 9 p.m.

SCHROEDER: Kevin Fowler with Clay Hollis at Schroeder Hall, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

CISTERN: Keen Country at Cistern Country Store, 8 p.m. to midnight.

SCHROEDER: Chad Cooke Band with Bubba Westly at Schroeder Hall, 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

BURTON: Justin Trevino at White Horse Tavern in Burton, 7 p.m.

COUPLAND: Kenny Orts at Coupland Dancehall, 8:30 p.m.

SWEET HOME: Blue Denim at Sweet Home Hall, 2 to 6 p.m.

NEW BEAUNFELS: The Czechaholics at Krause’s Cafe, 2 p.m.

Check out the upcoming events at Krause's Cafe in New Braunfels:

SCHROEDER: Eric Magnusson at Schroeder Hall in the Saloon, 6 to 10 p.m.

RICHMOND: Das Ist Lustig at the Sauer Kraut Grill in Richmond, 6 p.m.

COUPLAND: Sunny Sweeney + Rye Mountain Revelry at Coupland Dancehall, 8:30 p.m.

SCHROEDER: Jeremy Egg Band with David Lewis at Schroeder Hall, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

HALLETTSVILLE: Shiner’s 2nd Wind at Blase’s Hall near Hallettsville, 8 p.m. to midnight.

CANYON LAKE: The Czechaholics at Goofy’s Bar and Grill, 7 to 10 p.m.

SWEET HOME: Southpaw at Sweet Home Hall, 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

CISTERN: Sean Orr at Cistern Country Store, 8 p.m. to midnight.

COUPLAND: Jon Wolfe + Lucas Jagneaux at Coupland Dancehall, 8:30 p.m.

SCHROEDER: Staudt Brothers at Schroeder Hall, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

SWEET HOME: Lost Cause Band at Sweet Home Hall, 2 to 6 p.m.

CANCELED!!! GERONIMO: Blue Denim at Geronimo VFW Hall, 3 to 6:30 p.m.

NEW BRAUNFELS: Isaak Klaus and the Lederhosen Junkies at Krause’s Cafe, 5:30 p.m.

SCHROEDER: Shane and Renee Wilke at Schroeder Hall, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

SWEET HOME: All Request Piano at Sweet Home Hall, 9:30 p.m. to midnight.

COUPLAND: Cody Canada and the Departed at Coupland Dancehall, 8:30 p.m.

CISTERN: Midnight Wranglers at Cistern Country Store, 8 p.m. to midnight.

ROUND TOP: Nathan Colt Young Band at Busted Oak Cellars in Round Top, 3 p.m.

SWEET HOME: Glen Collins and the Alibi at Sweet Home Hall, 2 to 6 p.m.

NEW BRAUNFELS: Blue Denim at Krause’s Cafe, 3 p.m.

The March 2021 issue will go out in the mail on Feb. 22. Subscribers should receive it by the first week in March.

We would like to introduce everyone to our new advertising director, Kim Macik Jobb. Kim is a regular at polka dances, so many of you already know her. Reach her via email at kim@texaspolkanews.com.

Don't miss out on your favorite polka music. Tune in to the following radio shows:

KMIL 105.1 FM in Cameron - Alfred Vrazel's Polka Show on Sundays noon to 2:30 p.m.

KHBR 1560 AM in Hillsboro – The American Czech Hour with David Kolar, Sundays 1:30 to 3 p.m.

KRXT 98.5 FM in Rockdale – Michael Craig's Polka Show, Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m. to noon, Sunday from 1:15 to 6 p.m.

KBEC 1390 AM in Ennis – Polka Party with Danny Zapletal, Sundays 10 a.m. to noon

KULP 1390 in El Campo – Dance Time with John Dujka, 10 a.m. to noon.

Polka Jammer Network - Polka music from your computer 24 hours a day, polkajammernetwork.org.

Polka Music 24/7 - Your favorite music and shows online at 247polkaheaven.com.

We have received several calls from subscribers who did not receive their paper during the first week of November as they should have. The November issue was mailed out on Oct. 27. If you have not received your paper, please first check with your local post office. If they don't have it, give us a call at (979) 968-3155 or email andy@texaspolkanews.com.

Do you recall any interesting dancehall stories? Perhaps you witnessed something unusual or comical at a dance. Maybe you remember a story told by a parent, grandparent, uncle or aunt. Tell us about it. We're working on a new feature for future publication in the Texas Polka News. Email your stories to Andy Behlen at andy@texaspolkanews.com. 

Advertising: Kim Macik Jobb  kim@texaspolkanews.com

Andy Behlen andy@texaspolkanews.com and

Gary E. McKee fayetteishome@gmail.com.

Subscription management: Mark Hermes info@czechtexas.org

Visit texaspolkanews.com to see latest issue.

The Majek Polka Band at the El Campo Polka Festival on Jan. 24.

A great polka trumpet player dies and goes to heaven.

When he gets there, he finds out that heaven has a polka band and rehearsal is about to begin. When he arrives at the rehearsal, he finds out that it is the biggest polka band he had ever seen. There were over twenty musicians, including all the greats, like Joe Strauss, Adolph Hofner, Joe Patek, and many others. 

The band sounded incredible, the best he had ever heard, and all of the players were great, with one exception. The lead player was horrible! The lead player had no chops, couldn't play in time, and never mind his improvisation. 

Yet this horrible player was on lead. It really looked like he was getting into the songs, and he looked incredibly smug and pleased with himself after every song.

Incredulous, the new trumpet player asked the musician next to him, "Who is that guy? He's horrible!" 

The other player replied, "Oh, that's just St. Peter, only he likes to think that he's Lee Roy Matocha."