New Orleans may have Mardi Gras and King Cake, but Michigan has Pączki Day before Ash Wednesday. It is an annual tradition looked foward to by most sweets lovers across Ann Arbor.
What are Pączki?
Pączki are a Polish tradition. First, let’s tackle pronunciation. While commonly written as paczki in English, it really is a “ą” which is pronounced more like an oo. Pączki is pronounced poonch-key or pohnch-kee
Pączki are deep-fried dough filled with sweet jellies or cream fillings. The idea behind Pączki was to use up ingredients like eggs, fat, sugar, yeast, and milk before Lent began on Ash Wednesday. This makes the dough of a pączki richer than a donut.
Due to the concentration of Polish immigrants in the Detroit area, they became popular throughout the region. Ironically, my husband grew up with Polish grandparents in Pennsylvania and was not familiar with paczki until we moved to Ann Arbor.
When is Pączki Day 2026 in Ann Arbor?
In Ann Arbor, Pączki Day is traditionally the Tuesday before Lent. This year Ann Arbor Pączki Day is Tuesday, February 17, 2026. While many locations only offer Pączki on Pączki Day, some places begin offering them a couple of weeks early. Especially at grocery stores you can usually purchase them a week or two in advance.
Where to Get Pączki Near Ann Arbor
I have to admit we’re pretty relaxed in our Pączki shopping. I usually pick up a box at Busch’s or Plum Market.
The “best” Pączki in the area come from bakeries in Hamtramck, MI. But, that’s a bit of a drive from Ann Arbor…