Ukrainian Day at Giant's Stadium features festival and sports

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Saturday, September 17, was Ukrainian Day here at Giants Stadium - a daylong event that featured performances, vendors and sports.

The day began with a show on an open-air stage set up in the stadium parking lot. Featured were individual performers and ensembles, dancers, singers and musicians, from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut - the vast majority of them young amateurs.

Vendors' tables were laden with sundry items, ranging from Ukrainian folk art, jewelry and music CDs to Ukrainian soccer jerseys, and Soyuzivka, the Ukrainian National Association's upstate New York estate, was on the scene to provide Ukrainian foods to hungry festival-goers.

All in all, the atmosphere was that of a Ukrainian tailgate party.

A special afternoon soccer game in Giants Stadium featured the Metrostars Reserves vs. the Ukrainian American All-Stars, a combined squad that featured players from various teams.

The evening soccer match pitted the Metrostars against the New England Revolution (the Metrostars won 5-4). The event was highlighted by a Ukrainian opening ceremony reminiscent of the Orange Revolution as children and teens appeared on the field attired in Ukrainian T-shirts and carrying Ukrainian blue-and-yellow flags. Opera star Oksana Krovytska, soprano, sang the U.S. national anthem, while baritone Oleh Chmyr performed the Ukrainian anthem. The halftime show spotlighted the Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.

A special guest at Ukrainian Day was former Olympic figure skating champion Oksana Baiul, who addressed the crowd during the afternoon program and later made the ceremonial first kick to start off the Metrostars' game against New England.

Ukrainian Day was organized by a special committee of area Ukrainian community activists - some 50 people in all - led by Gene Chyzowych, former coach of U.S. Olympic, World Cup and national soccer teams, who currently chairs the Metrostars Youth Development Committee.

Profits of over $6,000 from ticket sales ($5 per ticket sold) were distributed as donations to 35 Ukrainian community groups.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, October 9, 2005, No. 41, Vol. LXXIII

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