For most of the year, Keith Speaks serves as the executive director of Neighborhoods Inc., a Hammond-based nonprofit organization that helps to increase home-owning opportunities in the region.
But for a day or two every summer, Speaks becomes Freak, the self-proclaimed "producer, director, lead singer" and "lead whatever" of the Neighborhoods IncSKI Surplus Building Materials and Construction Site Refuse Air Band.
"I'm not an entertainer, but when we turn that corner and the crowd starts up, I get energized," he said.
"I don't care how hot it is or how tired I am or how my feet hurt. I just get jacked up by that crowd waiting for us."
Scheduled to perform today in the Pierogi Fest Polka Parade along 119th Street in downtown Whiting, Speaks came up with the idea of the Refuse Air Band for the annual parade seven years ago. He took his cue for the ensemble from Pasadena's Doo Dah Parade, a wacky event created to counter the city's prim and proper Rose Parade.
Many more are expected to come to this year's celebration because Oprah recently named it one of the top seven events in the country.
The band's namesake comes from the source of their instruments; the band members use everything from PVC pipes to wood leftovers to unused or discarded toilet parts to create their guitars, percussion and horns.
And when it comes to their appearance and wardrobe, anything goes.
I've worn my hair punked and I've had my hair dyed red on one side and white on the other, which is the color of the Polish flag," Speaks said.
"As the years go on, we try to get more bizarre if we can."
Musically, the band has a pair of signature songs for Pierogi Fest: "Taking Care of Business," the classic '70s anthem from Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and "I Want to See a Flying Saucer" by the veteran Texas cult band Brave Combo.
Speaks is expected to be joined today by Refuse Band regulars such as his wife, Virginia "Schlomo" Speaks, his son, David "Cool Breeze" Speaks, Kassia "Polaca" Mehidi and Adam "Booboo" Mehidi, both from Highland, and Sandy "Sandrew" Wojtaszek, Chris "Soupcan" Wojtaszek and Tom "Doubter" Conley, all from Hammond.
In the past their ensemble has included members from Poland and Hungary.
"We won't know who's going to be with us until the night of the parade," Speaks said.
"If we have any new members, we tell them we'll have an intense rehearsal right before the parade."
The Pierogi Fest Polka Parade is part of the 2008 Pierogi Fest, which is running today through Saturday in downtown Whiting.
As always, there will be lots of food, entertainment and activities (check the Web site for events and times at www.pierogifest.net), but the parade promises to be the best, wackiest fun time.
The Busha Brigade will be twirling their bathroom plungers in their house dresses and hair nets, and the Precision Lawnmower Drill Team, dressed in bathrobes, black socks and house slippers or wing tips, will perform their figure-eight maneuvers for the crowd.
Last year, the online travel Web site VirtualTourist listed Whiting's Pierogi Fest in the Top 10 Wackiest U. S. Festivals alongside such worthy companions as the Roswell UFO Festival and Wisconsin's Cow Chip Throw.
