Verkhovyna hosts 25th Youth Festival spotlighting Ukrainian culture (07/23/00)

Verkhovyna hosts 25th Youth Festival spotlighting Ukrainian culture

GLEN SPEY, N.Y. - This year marked the 25th year of the Verkhovyna Youth Festival, which is held annually during the third weekend of July here at the Ukrainian Fraternal Association's resort. Traditionally the festival - which draws a crowd of thousands to the Verkhovyna resort - features several stage shows, dances, food, vendors, exhibits.

This year's festival was held Friday through Sunday, July 14-16. Featured on these pages are photos from the Saturday program, which showcased the talents of performers from the United States, Canada and Ukraine. According to the UFA website (located at http://members.tripod.com/UFA_home/), despite torrential rain on Friday and Saturday, the show was a huge success on Sunday and was held outdoors.

The Verkhovyna resort has been in the news lately also for another reason: The UFA Supreme Assembly, meeting at its annual session on June 19-21 decided - in order to ensure that Verkhovyna continues to serve the Ukrainian community - to sell the property to the Ukrainian American Cultural Foundation. News of the action was published in the June 29 issue of Narodna Volya, the official publication of the UFA. The UCAF has pledged to continue Verkhovyna's cultural programs and to further develop the resort for the benefit of the Ukrainian community.

Photo report by Andrij Wowk
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly.

Master of ceremonies Roman Wasylyk checks his notes.
John Oleksyn, president of the Ukrainian Fraternal Association, addresses the audience.
The Verkhovyna Dance Workshop's male dancers execute a spirited number.
The Verkhovyna Dance Workshop, directed by Roma Pryma Bohachevsky, performs.
Girls from the Ukraina Dance Ensemble before their performance.
A view of the audience that packed Verkhovyna's main hall.
Dancers (from left) Chris Kovalchick, Peter Osyf, Zenon Borys, Yaroslaw Dobriansky and Stefan Calka take a break.
The Chereshenky duo: Lidiya and Gabriella Oros of Irshava, Ukraine.
Singer Taras Petrynenko.
Vendor Roman Demko of Union, N.J., amid art work and crafts on display.

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