NEWS AND VIEWS
New Jersey's Ukrainian Festival: UCCA Coordinating Council's view
by John Burtyk and Joseph Jacus
The article published in The Ukrainian Weekly of June 6, "Reasons for the doom of Ukrainian Festival U.S.A" written by Stan Jakubowycz created more confusion than explanations. The writer attributed the demise of the festival to selfishness, greed, stupidity and petty Ukrainian politics on the part of the Festival Committees and the New Jersey Coordinating Council of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (NJCC-UCCA).
By this unfounded allegation he not only distorted the truth, but also offended all the hard-working people who are still trying to keep the Ukrainian heritage alive. Unfortunately, he failed to say that for last 13 years he did nothing to help the Ukrainian Festival. He was too busy with the international festivals.
Luba Siryj, the festival's chairperson, thoroughly explained why the festival was renamed and changed its location in an article published in The Ukrainian Weekly last year. As she noted, after 1990 attendance at all of the festivals including ours, gradually declined. It is not true that professionalism was replaced by amateurism. Over the course of 23 years, virtually every professional group in the United States and Canada participated in our festivals.
In 1996 and 1997 the Arts Center, under the new management of PNC Bank, refused us the use of the main stage. In 1998 they suggested that we participate in a multi-ethnic festival consisting of five different nations, which was to be restricted to the park grounds. After careful consideration, the Committee opted to move the festival to Cedar Knolls Park.
The loss of thousands of dollars in revenue from the Ukrainian community did not go unnoticed. The Arts Center quickly presented a new offer in 1999, which is under the consideration for the next year.
In his article, Mr. Jakubowycz falsely accused the NJCC-UCCA of being interested only in taking profits from the Ukrainian Festival. The UCCA never received any money from the festival, nor did it make any collections. The sole source of income came from the evening dances, which the UCCA organized and paid for. And as rule, at every UCCA general meeting, money is appropriated for Ukrainian youth organizations and other community needs.
Despite unfounded criticism and unhealthy publicity, we are planning another great Ukrainian Day, to be held on September 25 in Cedar Knolls Park. There will be plenty of music, good food and monetary rewards for participants in a young talent competition. And there will certainly be an evening dance at the Ramada Hotel on Route 10 in East Hanover, N.J.
Everybody is invited, including our critics. Come and see for yourself. Ukrainian Day is for all of us.
John Burtyk is president and Joseph Jacus is secretary of the New Jersey Coordinating Council of the UCCA.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, August 15, 1999, No. 33, Vol. LXVII
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