The annual Ukrainian Festival, organized by Wisconsin Ukrainians Inc., took place in the city of Franklin, Wisconsin. The event brought together hundreds of guests from across Wisconsin and neighboring states, uniting people around Ukrainian culture, music, traditions, and charity.
This was reported by by the Wisconsin Ukrainians Inc.
The festival program was rich and diverse. Over the course of six hours, guests enjoyed Ukrainian cuisine, live music, dancing, a souvenir fair, and an exhibition of traditional Ukrainian clothing. Many of the visitors were Americans genuinely interested in Ukrainian heritage and supportive of aid initiatives for Ukraine and veterans.
Dozens of performers took the stage during the festival. Among them were singer Tetyana Darmohrai, the folk duo of Gage Dulak and Aidan Viljevac, soloist of the trio "GLORIA," “Karaoke on Maidan” winner Yuriy Yaremchuk, jazz vocalist ASYA (Anastasiia Rusnak), who promotes Ukrainian songs in Illinois, and virtuoso guitarist Iryna Yanovska. Also performing were violinists Yuliya Mykolyk and Tetyana Milyacho, mezzo-soprano Khrystya Nora, the children's choir "Dyvotsvit," and the “Dnipro” dance ensemble, which has preserved Ukrainian dance traditions in the U.S. since 1964.
A standout performance came from the Chicago Bandura School led by Motria Kadil. Other notable acts included the nostalgic-comedic duo of Paul Smith and Andy Jelly, accordionists Zinoviy Butkovskyi and Stepan Shemkiv, and “Shans” show finalist Ivan Ryabiy, who also presented a mini exhibition of his artwork and handmade bracelets.
Among the special guests was chess player and traveler Volodymyr Opryshchenko, who played simultaneous matches with all interested participants and shared insights into logic, puzzles, and riddles. Another highlight of the program was an exhibition of Ukrainian embroidery from the private collection of Viktoria Hrytsyk, featuring authentic pieces from the late 19th to early 20th century.
The festival took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, supported by the efforts of dozens of volunteers. The organizers expressed special thanks to the Federation of Croatian Society, Inc. for providing the venue, as well as Saint Mary the Protectress UOC, Saint Michael Catholic Church, Cermak, PepsiCo, and Milwaukee Croatians for their support of the Ukrainian community.
Wrapping up the day, Wisconsin Ukrainians Inc. thanked all participants with the words:
“This was not just a celebration. It was a living story about the strength of community, about support, about unity with Ukraine. Every smile, every word, every song became part of the big heart of our community. Until we meet again!” Запитати в ChatGPT
Author: Danylo Pievchev