LEHIGHTON, Pa. – Over 800 people enjoyed a weekend of Ukrainian music, dance and food at the annual Ukrainian Festival at the Ukrainian Homestead of CEC ODWU Inc. on Saturday and Sunday, August 17 and 18.
The festival opened on Saturday with the presentation of colors by Ukrainian American Veterans Post 42 from the Lehigh Valley. After the singing of the Canadian, Ukrainian and American national anthems by members of the Kazka Folk Ensemble, program emcees Andrij Dobriansky and Paula Holoviak welcomed guests to the festival in both the Ukrainian and English language.
The Kalyna Performing Arts Company from Toronto presented the traditional welcome dance (Pryvit), followed by the tambourine Kozachok performed by the Kazka Ukrainian Folk Ensemble from Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill County.
Musical performers for both shows on Saturday were violinist Innesa Tymochko-Dekajlo and accordionist the Rev. Volodymyr Baran. Ms. Tymochko-Dekajlo brought fellow musicians Vladimir Holoviak (violin) and Michael Duda (guitar) on stage for a wonderful but seldom heard Bukovynian musical number. Saturday’s show ended with Ukraine’s national dance, the Hopak, performed by Kalyna.
On Sunday, Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Andrij Rabiy celebrated divine liturgy at St. Andrew’s Chapel on the Homestead grounds. Concelebrants included the Rev. Baran and the Rev. Evhen Moniuk. The liturgy concluded with the traditional blessing of herbs and flowers for the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
Sunday’s lively program included repeat performances by Kalyna and Kazka and Ms. Tymochko-Dekajlo performing a Tatar song in tribute to this oppressed people of the Crimean region of Ukraine.
In addition to two days of performances, numerous vendors sold embroidery, pysanky, books, recordings, jewelry and wood carvings. The Homestead kitchen featured Ukrainian favorites such as holubtsi, potato pancakes, borshch and varenyky made by Homestead volunteers.
Information about the Ukrainian Homestead, which is open year-round and is available for weddings, reunions and private parties, can be found at www.ukrhomestead.com. The Homestead was founded in 1957 by the Organization for the Rebirth of Ukraine (ODWU).