May 2, 2015

Enjoy Tryzubivka’s endless summer, experience the Ukrainian Folk Festival

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Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble welcomes guests.

Violinist Innesa Tymochko Dekajlo returns by popular demand to Tryzub’s Ukrainian Folk Festival.

Christine Syzonenko

Violinist Innesa Tymochko Dekajlo returns by popular demand to Tryzub’s Ukrainian Folk Festival.

HORSHAM, Pa. – Tryzubivka’s festival grounds, sports pub, banquet hall and 40 beautiful acres of parks, streams, picnic groves, sports fields, tennis courts and other recreational facilities beckon to be a part of your Ukrainian summer.

The most popular community event – well over 2,000 attend – at the Ukrainian American Sport Center Tryzub is the Ukrainian Independence Day Folk Festival and outdoor summer concert scheduled for Sunday, August 23, beginning at noon.

At 1:30-4:30 p.m., the festival’s outdoor stage concert in the cool shade of Tryzubivka’s unique festival grove will feature two premier Ukrainian dance ensembles, Voloshky of Jenkintown, Pa., and Iskra of Whippany, N.J.

Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble welcomes guests.

Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble welcomes guests.

Additional headliners at this year’s festival will include: the Prometheus Men’s Chorus of Philadelphia, the Vox Ethnika Orchestra of New York City and, back by popular demand, violinist Inessa Tymochko Dekajlo of Long Island, N.Y.

A “zabava,” or dance, to the live Ukrainian polka, ballroom, traditional and modern music of the Vox Ethnika follows the stage show and continues through 8 p.m.

Ukrainian ethnic foods and baked goods, standard picnic fare, spirits and cool refreshments (featuring an array of imported and hand-crafted beers) will be plentiful. Also, enjoy a children’s fun area and a folk arts and crafts bazaar. Guests are encouraged to arrive well in advance of the concert to avoid the “rush hour.” Although seating is available, bringing your own lawn chair will greatly enhance your comfort and seating choice.

A large number of non-Ukrainians experienced the vibrant, enduring culture of a nation that fights for freedom at the 2014 festival. Whether it be from stage comments, discourse with fellow festival-goers, volunteers or vendors, or the vast publicity the event received in the mainstream local media, they learned much about the history and essence of Ukraine and its people.

Another major event at Tryzubivka is the popular Father’s Day Picnic on Sunday, June 21, starting at 1 p.m. Admission is free for this family-oriented event that features the Voloshky School of Dance and some of the other excellent younger performing artists in the Philadelphia area. A zabava to the music of Tryzub’s house band, the Karpaty Ensemble, follows. On that same day, Tryzub will host the U.S. Adult Soccer Association’s U-21 U.S. Open Cup National Championship games.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, on Saturday night, May 23, Tryzub members are invited to attend an outdoor family-oriented parents’ appreciation picnic under the stars (no admission fee) with an array of live music, social dancing, food and refreshments.

On Saturday, September 19, Tryzub members and the entire Ukrainian Nationals Tryzub community can share in a family fun day picnic. No admission is charged and Tryzub members can enjoy free food, refreshments, kids’ fun, music and dancing.

In the early fall, the Ukrainian community is invited to attend a Fallfest (free admission) on Saturday night, October 10. This celebration is part of the immensely popular Columbus Cup girls’ youth soccer tournament. Enjoy great food, live music, social dancing and refreshments.

Sports activities

Ukrainian Nationals U-18 Syla, the 2011 Memorial Day Tournament champions.

Ukrainian Nationals U-18 Syla, the 2011 Memorial Day Tournament champions.

Adult and youth players and sports fans can enjoy a vast array of sports opportunities at Tryzubivka. Tryzub graciously invites all Ukrainian soccer players to join one of its over 30 youth and junior soccer teams in all age brackets for boys and girls, its adult male and female division soccer teams. It also invites Ukrainian club and non-Ukrainian teams to participate in Tryzub’s immensely popular soccer tournaments: the Memorial Day Invitational youth soccer tournament scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend (May 22-24) and the Columbus Cup girls’ soccer tournament (October 9-11).

This year, Tryzub has retained the services of Omid Namazi, current coach of the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team, as its director of soccer. Coach Namazi and his staff of professional coaches and counselors will be offering three camps at Tryzubivka this summer: August 3-6, Team and High School Group Camp; August 10-13, Girls’ Camp; and August 24-27: Boys’ Camp. All camp programs are from 9 a.m. to noon.

In the fall and spring, Tryzub offers youths an opportunity to hone their skills through a Soccer Academy that is staffed by Coach Namazi and a crew of certified coaches. Placement onto appropriate soccer teams is also a goal of the process.

Soccer families and other fans can enjoy games at Tryzubivka throughout the weekends of the season. The Majors Division games are particularly popular on a Sunday afternoon, at 2 p.m. The soccer season opener games on Saturday and Sunday, September 12-13, like the Ukrainian Nationals Family Day Picnic on Saturday, September 19, are particularly good days to enjoy great soccer.

Other athletes can join Tryzub’s golf team or its archery team, The archery and golf squads regularly compete in league play at the Bucks County Fish and Game Association and the Limekiln Golf Club, respectively. The archery team also competes regularly in nationally and internationally sanctioned indoor and outdoor tournaments and in recreational outings such as 3-D archery, the U-Bass 3-D tournament and Archery Golf.

Tryzub offers all golfers in the Ukrainian community a fun-filled golf outing and banquet on Saturday, June 13. The entry fee is very reasonable and includes greens fees, a cart, food, refreshments, and valuable door prizes and gifts. Trophies are awarded as well.

To learn more about beautiful Tryzubivka – where you can enjoy a cascade of cultural and sporting events throughout the spring, summer and early fall – and the opportunities it offers the community see www.tryzub.org. The club is located in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia at County Line and Lower State roads, Horsham, PA 19044. You can become a club member for only $25 annually. Tryzubivka’s banquet hall, meeting rooms and festival grounds are also available for rental at a reasonable price.

Ukrainian Nationals Rangers confer with coach Danylo Harmon at the 2011 Memorial Day tournament.

Ukrainian Nationals Rangers confer with coach Danylo Harmon at the 2011 Memorial Day tournament.

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