Ukrainian Festival
August 29 @ 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm EDT
Sister’s Sister
814-571-1010
Svitlana Jones
This is a benefit festival with a family-friendly program. You are invited to DISCOVER UKRAINE by e-visiting unique Ukrainian sites, learning Ukrainian words, making traditional Ukrainian crafts of rag-doll making, cross-stitching, and ribbon weaving, painting in a traditional Ukrainian Petrykivka style, singing a traditional Ukrainian song village style, and dressing up in a traditional Ukrainian costume for becoming a Ukrainian, if only for a few brief moments of picture taking. There will be children’s activities, including face painting.The live music program will include the vocalist Maria Smereka on the bandura, a traditional Ukrainian multi-string instrument. The Ukrainian group of Salvation Baptist Church will perform Ukrainian folk songs. And a member of our Ukrainian community, a new State College Area High School graduate and a medalist of the US Ukrainian Music competitions Ruslana Kaminska will perform popular Ukrainian songs. There will be authentic Ukrainian food, prepared by members of our local Ukrainian community. On the menu are varenyky (Ukrainian dumplings stuffed with potatoes or sweet cheese); nalysnyky (Ukrainian crepes with meat, cheese or jam fillings); and borscht (a special Ukrainian beet soup with meat and vegetables, as well as a vegetarian option), a dish that was inducted into the UNESCO cultural heritage list in 2022. Do not miss this unique opportunity to experience the age-old Ukrainian cultural heritage right here, in the heart of Pennsylvania! Admission, workshops and parking are free. Donations are welcome. Food will be available for a suggested donation amount. All proceeds will go to the Humanitarian Aid Fund for Ukraine via our local charitable organization, Sister’s Sister. The funds will be used to procure inverters with batteries to help our sister-city of Nizhyn, Ukraine, overcome continuous electricity blackouts, as well as for medical supplies and equipment.