On a chilly, foggy night in Ann Arbor, the parking lot at Old St. Patrick Catholic Church is filling up fast. Headlights cut through the mist as cars keep rolling in, and people bundled in coats are making their way toward the parish hall. It's Friday night in Lent, which, for many in this community means, only one thing: Fish Fry! 89.1 WEMU’s John Stockwell reports.
Despite the cold weather, the line keeps getting longer. as families, friends, and plenty of first-timers stream in from all directions for what many say is one of the most beloved traditions of the season. I make my way through the front door past a long queue of people waiting to pay and into the crowded social hall. Inside, nearly every table is full. Families, friends, and neighbors gather together over baskets of fried fish, sides, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, and plenty of conversation.
The mood here is unmistakable. It's joyful, festive, the kind of scene that feels as much like a community reunion as it does at dinner. Helping to make it all happen is Don Zekany, one of the people who coordinates this entire event at Old St. Patrick.
STOCKWELL: "Donald, tell me as we look around here what's happening? What's going on?"
DON: "Well, you're seeing a great meal being served by a lot of wonderful volunteers. I mean, it's more than just a meal. I mean, our meal is great. It's probably the best in southeast Michigan that we have. But the volunteers are great, too. And when you look around here, you see people enjoying the evening. You see a lot of cooperation with volunteers, a lot of fellowship. And it's sort of like an invite to the community for our parish. You know, hey, our doors are open tonight. Come on in."
STOCKWELL: "How do you find volunteers? Because, obviously, not everybody's a chef or a cook. How does that work?"
DON: "Well, you have people who've been volunteering for a long time. I mean, they're just fantastic. You see them, they greet people, they help people, especially those who are in wheelchairs or can't walk. And, you know, we have the young'uns over there."
Nearby was longtime volunteer Dolly, who's been helping out here for 27 years. She brought me up to speed on what a typical Fish Fry Friday looks like.
STOCKWELL: "What time do you get here? What's your typical day like on a Fish Friday?"
DOLLY: "On Friday mornings, I come in at 8:00, and we're here till about 11. And then, we come back about 2:00, and we're here until usually about 7:30, 8:00.
STOCKWELL: "How many people come in here on a typical Friday, do you think?"
DOLLY: "We see anywhere between 400 and 500. Sometimes we're over 500. It just really depends on the crowd of the night."
I decided to venture into the crowd to get a few food reviews. That's where I met Brian McCullough, who was there with his family. He told me the fish fry is not only a great meal, but also an important fundraiser for this smaller parish.
BRIAN: "It's just the best! I don't know how you can explain it any other way, but I think it's the people and the love that goes into putting on an event like this. And I think also the other major component is this is a major fundraiser for the church itself. It's a smaller parish. And so, it goes a long way."
Brian's wife, Ashley, told me this isn't just a quick stop to grab dinner. For their family, it's a fun night out and a chance to see neighbors and friends as the whole community comes together.
ASHLEY: "The people that are around, I mean, I've never seen kids volunteering the way that they are. All of the parishioners are getting involved. You see, our whole parish is pouring their heart and soul into this, and that really means a lot to me. Plus, the food's delicious!"
STOCKWELL: "And what do the kids think?"
ASHLEY: "Oh, they love it! We've come every week. So, we've brought coloring supplies, so that we have an ability to just let them have at it, and we just enjoy our night!"
My next stop on the Fish Fry Express brought me to St. Mary in Chelsea. Standing in the parking lot, I'm looking out at cars as far as the eye can see. I haven't seen a lot this full since Christmas time at the mall back in 1984 when I was working at a record store stocking the shelves with Duran Duran albums and hanging up Wham! posters.
Walking inside, I was struck by the sheer number of people packed into the hall. Even with the crowds and the lines, everyone seemed happy. enjoying the food, sharing laughs, and soaking in the atmosphere.
Brad Angelocci is the Grand Knight with the local Knights of Columbus and is helping make sure everything runs smoothly. He told me the money raised is not just for the parish, but for charities as well.
BRAD: "We have a number of charities that we donate to. One of our bigger ones is Coats for Kids that we do every year. We also contribute to Catholic Women's Conference. a Catholic men's conference, a number of other charities that we support with this fish fry."
Nearby was Kristen Osentowski at the dessert table, proof that no fish fry is complete without saving room for something sweet.
KRISTEN: "We sell desserts, and the profits go to the school for the kids, and these are all donated by people from the church and even the community. We have people that just drop things off, and a lot of it's homemade."
STOCKWELL: "What's the most popular?"
KRISTEN: "We have a lady that brings in a layered banana cake with cream cheese frosting. And people will ask for it and wait for it and pay in advance for it. And then, we have another lady that brings up lemon meringue pie."
Just as I was about to head for the door, I spotted a couple sitting at a table with two slices of that coveted banana layer cake. That's when I met Mark and Linda Sullivan. Mark told me he's always amazed at how this event comes together so smoothly.
MARK: "I love this place! I can't believe that the parish has a personnel from youth to seniors to a lot of smiling faces. And I would say as a church, as a whole, the parishioners make this possible for the public to come down here and enjoy their self. There's not a better place to be than here. I hope to God it's here as long as I live!"
The Fish Fry Express made its final stop at St. Francis of Assisi in Ann Arbor. After stepping into the busy hall and weaving through the line of hungry diners, I decided to go straight into the kitchen where all the real action was taking place. Karen Pilon and her husband Michael had been running this fish fry for the last 11 years.
When I first spotted Karen, she was in the middle of assembling takeout orders while a steady stream of freshly fried fish kept landing on the cooling rack nearby.
STOCKWELL: "Karen, tell me. What are you doing right now?"
KAREN: "So, I am packing up to-go stations for people who order online."
STOCKWELL: "And what's going in there? There's some mac and cheese."
KAREN: "This is a mac and cheese adult dinner. They asked for French fries and roasted potatoes with their mac and cheese. That looks very good. We also have sauteed green beans. We have tilapia and cod, obviously, and grilled cheeses."
STOCKWELL: "How do you keep this organized? Because I was just back here, and it gets crazy. How do you make sure everything runs smoothly?"
KAREN: "So, a lot of planning ahead of time. And we have children, lovely children from our school, who volunteer, and they help do anything and everything we ask of them. They bus tables. They fill to-go things. They, well, to-go orders like tartar sauce, ketchup, and they do the condiments. And then, they make sure there's pop sales. We have a scout's troop that sells desserts here.
STOCKWELL: "Now somebody just came in with a nice, fresh tray of fish. Where does that come from? How does it all get put together?"
KAREN: "So, we actually buy cod that is not battered, and we battered ourselves with our own recipe."
Karen then introduced me to Alicia, who has many important jobs in the kitchen, including overseeing the ever-important grilled cheese station.
STOCKWELL: "What is your typical day like? What time do you get here and then what happens?"
ALICIA: "I get here at about 3:45, and I start cooking the grilled cheeses right away. And then, after that, it's running to try to get the lines down."
STOCKWELL: "And tell me about the kitchen. How do you keep it organized back there?"
ALICIA: "Well, we have the runners up front, who will ask for stuff as it's getting low. So, we try to stay a step ahead."
STOCKWELL: "Why do you think people love the fish frys so much? I've gone to three tonight, and they're absolutely packed!"
ALICIA: "Because it's homemade, and we all know each other. It's just a big community and everybody comes here to be together and great food!"
As I was wrapping things up, I stopped to chat with the Jedinak family where their son was happy to tell me about his favorite dish.
STOCKWELL: "What is your favorite thing here? Why do you like coming here?"
KID: "Because they have good brownies!"
I began the night thinking I'd be comparing fish fry dinners and maybe crowning a local favorite. But after visiting a few parish halls and talking with the people who make these nights happen, it became clear the story was much bigger than the menu. It's about the volunteers who spend hours in the kitchen, families who turn dinner into a weekly tradition, and communities that come together over a simple plate of fish and fries.
In the end, the best thing I found tonight wasn't just on the plate, it was the spirit of community filling these halls.
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