The annual Ukrainian Festival in Utica is scheduled to take place on Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 9 p.m. at the Ukrainian Auditorium, located at 6 Cottage Place.
Ahead of the event, volunteers have been hard at work making traditional Ukrainian foods from scratch at the St. Volodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Church kitchen. Organizers expect to produce about 1,000 dozen handmade pierogies, alongside other traditional dishes such as cabbage rolls, kielbasa, sauerkraut, borshch, and homemade sweets, which can be accompanied by Ukrainian beer. Attendees will also have the opportunity to shop from various vendors selling unique Ukrainian items.
The festival features live traditional music and dance performances. Among the highlights is Barvinok, a renowned dance company based in Toronto, Canada, known for performances across North America and Europe. Additionally, virtuoso violinist and Honored Artist of Ukraine Vasyl Popadiuk will perform. Since the full-scale Russian invasion, Popadiuk has held numerous benefit concerts across Ukraine, the United States, and Europe to raise funds for humanitarian aid.
Proceeds generated from the festival will directly support humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine. Additional information about the event can be found on the St. Volodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Church Facebook page.
