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<p>A representative of the Pierogi Fest in Whiting, Indiana, said his organization was justified in challenging the Edwardsville pierogi festival.</p><p>The volunteer Edwardsville Hometown Committee filed a suit Monday in federal court in Scranton in response to threats from the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce Inc., a suburban Chicago organization that owns a trademark for the term &#8220;Pierogi Fest.&#8221;</p><p>Tom Dabertin, chairman of the Pierogi Fest in Indiana, said Tuesday the chamber obtained the trademark in 2006 because it had invested thousands of hours creating its event and didn&#8217;t want others to unfairly compete.</p><p>&#8220;We have a trademark to protect our rights,&#8221; Dabertin said. &#8220;We don&#8217;t want thousands of pierogi fests out there.&#8221;</p><p>Entities holding trademarks risk losing their protection if they fail to send letters to those who infringe, he added.</p><p>Dabertin said his organization has allowed small churches to hold pierogi fests and would consider permitting the Edwardsville one, possibly waiving a fee if the revenue generated is minimal. He said a representative of the Edwardsville event spoke to him once about more fully discussing the matter but never followed through.</p><p>&#8220;Instead of getting permission, they filed a suit,&#8221; Dabertin said. &#8220;We&#8217;re very amenable, but we have to have that discussion.&#8221;</p><p>Dabertin said the Indiana event has received national media coverage and was featured in a front-page Wall Street Journal article two years ago.</p><p>He fears a problem at another unauthorized pierogi fest could blemish his event.</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;re painting Edwardsville as very small, but our town only has about 5,000 people. We rely heavily on this revenue,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The Edwardsville committee has hosted the two-day event in June since 2014. The festival includes a parade, live entertainment, vendors, youth activities and a competition rating the best pierogi and other ethnic foods.</p><p>Local attorneys Gregory Fellerman and Corey Suda, of Fellerman and Ciarimboli Law P.C., worked pro bono with attorney James Haggerty to prepare the <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/669861/suit-fights-to-save-edwardsville-pierogi-festival" target="_blank">Edwardsville filing</a>, which seeks a declaration that the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival is not a trademark infringement. The suit also seeks damages for problems the chamber has caused with sponsors.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Group defends trademark claim in Edwardsville pierogi fest battle