The calendar says June, and that means our festival season is in full swing. On page 11 of this issue, you’ll see the first evidence of that.
The St. George Ukrainian Festival in New York, hosted by St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church, took place on May 20-22. As it does every year, it attracted large crowds who came to experience Ukrainian culture, sample Ukrainian food, and, of course, buy some Ukrainian souvenirs. The festival featured an array of performers from the tri-state New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area – it was hard to count how many different Ukrainian dance groups performed – plus entertainers from Ukraine.
For the record, this year marked the St. George Ukrainian Festival’s milestone 40th year. A look back at the historical archives reveals that the festival was first organized in 1976 as a Ukrainian American tribute to the U.S. Bicentennial. It has continued ever since to the delight of festival audiences. Indeed, it has become an important fixture on the New York City festival calendar – and in New York City that is a major accomplishment.
Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) noted in her message to the St. George Festival’s organizers that “this festival has established itself as a cultural highlight in our city” and pointed to the thousands of visitors that “have the opportunity to see and partake in the rich history and traditions of the Ukrainian American community that has contributed so much to our city.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio greeted the festival-goers with a special message in which he underlined: “New York’s unmatched diversity is its greatest asset and our thriving Ukrainian American population has made invaluable contributions to every sector throughout the five boroughs. …With music performances, vocal ensembles, folk dancers, delicious traditional food, and rippling flags of blue and gold, this beloved annual celebration in the East Village’s ‘Little Ukraine’ is an excellent way to showcase for all New Yorkers the vibrant customs and spirit of fellowship that defines Ukrainian Americans. I applaud the event’s organizers, participants and supporters for their efforts to preserve a rich heritage, reinforce ties between New York and Ukraine, and enhance the cultural vitality of our global city.”
The St. George Ukrainian Festival is notable also as a showcase for the work of Ukrainian organizations (including our publisher, the Ukrainian National Association), which set up tables and booths in order to engage visitors – Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian alike. It is also an opportunity for charitable organizations to raise awareness and collect donations for their valuable work, for example, aiding the rehabilitation of Ukraine’s wounded warriors.
In short, this festival seems to have something for everyone. Bravo to its dedicated organizers.
To be sure, there are many other Ukrainian festivals on the summer calendar. (Many of them were noted in our 20th annual special supplement called “A Ukrainian Summer,” which was published on May 1.) All of them serve our community well: they give us an opportunity to express pride in our beautiful Ukrainian culture and to share that culture with our neighbors; they allow us to teach the public at large about Ukraine and Ukrainians; and, certainly, they help us to raise funds for our community. They truly are a winning formula for all concerned.
PS: Why not send us some great photos and a short write-up about your local festival? We’ll be glad to share them with our readers. (For some helpful hints on submitting materials, check out the editorial from our March 20 issue, which you can find online at https://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/new-beginnings-improved-cooperation/.)