Thousands attend 24th Ukrainian Youth Festival at Verkhovyna (07/25/99)

Thousands attend 24th Ukrainian Youth Festival at Verkhovyna

by Taisa Welhasch

GLEN SPEY, N.Y. - For 24 years the Ukrainian Fraternal Association has been holding its annual Ukrainian Youth Festival at its Verkhovyna resort in beautiful upstate New York. This year's festival, held during the sweltering hot July 16-18 weekend, nonetheless drew several thousand people of all ages from the United States, Canada and even Ukraine.

The three-day festival has always included the combination of craft and food vendors, sports and games, as well as live entertainment and a "zabava." After weeks of practice and preparation, the performers and organizers were ready to entertain the crowd. The performances, along with the scenic surroundings and an enthusiastic group of workers and guests, made for a friendly atmosphere at the Verkhovyna resort.

The festivities began on Friday evening with a stage show introduced by UFA President John Oleksyn and led by master of ceremonies Roman Wasylyk. The show featured performances by the Verkhovyna Dance Workshop led by Roma Pryma Bohachevsky, the Lviviany Folk Ensemble, and the duet of Lydmila Nikonchuk and Lyudmula Djoi. Following the show, everyone had the opportunity to socialize and dance to the music of the Lviviany band.

On Saturday the crowd grew significantly. Tents lined the edge of Verkhovyna as campers settled in for the weekend. A parade of people viewed exhibits of paintings, ceramics, books, jewelry, video and audio cassettes, apparel and other Ukrainian novelties. And the variety of Ukrainian food was just as plentiful. For many of the children, the pool was the main attraction. Many people took refuge from the blazing sun by going for a swim.

By mid-afternoon on Saturday, the audience was gathering for more entertainment. The rows of benches surrounding the stage were filled with faithful fans. The highlight of the show was the appearance of the the Verkhovyna Dance Workshop, composed of young dancers from across North America who - after only three weeks of joint rehearsals under the direction of Mrs. Bohachevsky - dazzled the audience once again with diverse numbers from various regions of Ukraine.

Also on the festival bill were: singers Luba and Mykola, Oleksandra Hrabova, and Irchyk from Lviv, violinist Vasyl Popadiuk and a group of talented children from Chornobyl performing poetry recitations, a gymnastics routine and musical selections. The evening came to a close with two dances accompanied by Fata Morgana, Lviviany and Vidlunnia.

The cheerful guests, the dedicated workers and volunteers all said they were very pleased with the festival this year. Ludmila Hajdar, grounds manager of the resort, was delighted with "the interesting array of performers and the fact that peopled braved the hot and humid temperature to come and support the Verkhovyna Ukrainian Youth Festival."

One of the main elements that makes the festival successful year after year is the commitment that festival-goers feel toward Verkhovyna. George Kihiczak, a college student who enjoys visiting the resort regularly, explained that he "came to the festival to enjoy Ukrainian culture and support the Glen Spey 'hromada.'" Many people continue to be drawn to the tight-knit community and therefore remain loyal to the Verkhovyna resort.

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