October 23, 2015

UACCNJ’s 6th annual festival shines despite the rain

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WHIPPANY, N.J. – Despite a forecast of unpleasant weather for Saturday, October 3, the sixth annual Ukrainian Festival of the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey (UACCNJ) proceeded as planned, with good attendance.

The UACCNJ is well-suited for much of the festival to be moved indoors. One-half of the gym was transformed into a dining room, where sales of Ukrainian food – varenyky, borshch, kovbasa, kapusta, holubtsi – along with hot dogs, hamburgers and roast pork sandwiches did a brisk business. Vendors located in the other half of the gym as well as in an adjoining room, the bakery café in its usual inviting location, children’s activities in one of the side rooms, and two stage programs in the spacious auditorium – featuring Ukrainian dancers, singers and musicians – gave attendees plenty of spots to visit inside the building.  The outdoor beer garden, with its selection of Ukrainian beers and live accordion music, had no shortage of visitors.

Oksana Lodziuk-Krywulych, festival chair, commented, “I am thankful that this festival was, once again, well-attended and successful, despite the dire weather predictions. It is my hope that our festival is a reflection of our beautiful Ukrainian culture and reaches many people in our community and beyond. My sincere gratitude to the festival committee, our sponsors, volunteers and many performers.”

Pictured, clockwise from top left, are: Iskra Ukrainian Dance Academy, Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Chornobryvtsi Ukrainian Dance Group, Ania Kosachevich, Iskra Ensemble, Barvinok Ukrainian Dance Group, Ukrainian Learning Academy, Uliana (left) and Kalyna Leshchuk, Oksana Telepko (left) and Halya Leskiv, Tsvitka Ukrainian Dance School. Photos by Christine Syzonenko.

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