The German Heritage Festival is a 28-year-old family affair that began with a woman who was simply digging around in her genealogy and was surprised to discover that a significant portion of her family tree on her maternal grandmother’s side was German.

“Back then, you didn’t talk much about your German heritage,” says Melissa Lesniewski, whose mother, Beverly (Jant) Pochatko, founded the Erie chapter of DANK, a German historical society, in 1990. We spoke with Lesniewski, who has been in charge of the culinary aspect of the festival all these years.

What began as the Bavarian Festival in 1990 has grown into one of Erie’s most popular annual ethnic celebrations.

“I got pulled into it,” Lesniewski said, laughing. “I’m working behind the scenes, so to speak. It was important to her, so I’m doing it.”

We asked her five questions about the festival. Here is her answer.

Question: What are the most popular German festive dishes among festival visitors?

Answer: You’ll be surprised, but it’s the Limburger cheese sandwiches. I know it’s weird because it smells so bad, but that’s what everyone asks for. Braunschweiger and bratwurst also fall into this category, but Limburger is the main one. People love it. And of course the Sauerbraten (marinated meat) and Helmut’s Strudel (pastries served savory and sweet).

What are your favorites?

My favorite is bratwurst, but I like it browned and served steamed. I like it browned and plain. Next comes the vegetable strudel. I like the savory ones more than the sweet ones.

What type of beer is served at the German Festival?

We order these in January directly from Germany: Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer, also Spaten Oktoberfest and regular Hofbräu, as well as locally made peach-blueberry.

How many people visit the German festival?

We are not entirely sure, as children are free and there are free tickets, but we estimate that 3,000 to 6,000 people come daily. Unlike other festivals, we have to charge admission because our vendors’ profits belong to them. We do not have a church or volunteers, and there are costs for the tents and setting up, entertainment and other costs. There is a lot of setting up work because everything is under a tent, so people can come even if it rains.

What else makes this festival unique?

Well, we have a marketplace where vendors sell dirndls (traditional women’s clothing), mugs, t-shirts, hats, amber jewelry, Connie’s ice cream and face painting and Magic Steve. There’s something for everyone. My favorite thing is that a lot of people bring their chairs, set up and stay all day. It’s a family-friendly place and a lot of people come dressed in German costume, in their dirndls and lederhosen. I think that’s what makes it special.

This article originally appeared in the Erie Times-News: Erie’s 28th German Heritage Festival offers family-friendly, all-day fun