In Albany, New York, the Ukrainian Festival, organized by the civic initiative “518Ukrainians”, was held at the Polish Community Center on Washington Ave Ext. The event gathered hundreds of guests and became a real cultural bridge between the Ukrainian diaspora and the local community.
This was reported by NEWS10 Albany and organizers of the event.
The festival opened with the performance of the American anthem by Alexandra Verzole and a welcoming speech by the guests. Then choirs and ensembles took to the stage, which prepared a rich musical and dance program.
Among the participants in the concert were prestigious Ukrainian dance groups. Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble (New York), founded by the legendary ballerina Roma Prima-Bogachevskaya. The group is known for its highly professional productions, complex choreographic solutions and colorful costumes. Syzokryli has performed at numerous cultural festivals in the United States and abroad, captivating audiences with their vivid renditions of Ukrainian folk dances. Troyanda (Canada) is a Ukrainian dance company from Montreal that has been training generations of dancers since 1989, from the youngest to the most mature participants. The company preserves and promotes the traditions of Ukrainian folk dance in Canada, particularly in the province of Quebec, and has become a true cultural center for the community. Zorepad (local company, Albany, NY) is a dance company with over 40 years of history, founded in Troy, NY by Roma Pryma-Bogachevska. Zorepad is known for its authentic performances of Hutsul, Lemko, and other Ukrainian folk dances. Today, the company is led by Lukash Levytsky and remains a prominent representative of Ukrainian culture in the capital of New York.
The Syzokryli team thanked the community for the warm welcome: “We had a blast at this year’s Ukrainian Festival in Albany again!”
The program also included patriotic songs, performances by choirs and soloists, including vocal groups Trioda, Voda Voice, a folklore group from Boykivshchyna, well-known in the USA and Canada Brattia z Prykarpattia, which performed both folk and modern Ukrainian songs, and soloists: Olya Friz, Trioda, a 12-year-old singer from Amsterdam (NY), winner of the International Radio Festival “Sings Native” Sofia Balanda, as well as conductor and choirmaster of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Watervliet Oleksandra Verzole and famous singer Iryna Petryk. There were also performances by choirs – St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Choir, Ukrainian School Choir.
Visitors enjoyed vareniki, cabbage rolls, borscht, kebabs, Ukrainian sausage and desserts. More than 20 vendors presented souvenirs and traditional crafts: embroidery, jewelry, ceramics, woodwork, Easter eggs and flags. Exclusive Festival merchandise was also available for purchase. A silent auction was of particular interest, and cultural and entertainment activities were organized for children.
“What an amazing festival! We had perfect weather, delicious food, beautiful crafts, amazing performances, the best volunteers and a record attendance!” shared Tanya Lisnychy Petrov from “518Ukrainians”.
The organizers emphasized that all funds will go to humanitarian projects for Ukraine.
Andriy Baran, President of the Ukrainian Congressional Committee of the Capital District, added that in the past three years alone, the organization and the community have sent over a million dollars in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
“We were able to purchase several hundred Kevlar helmets. And two weeks after sending, we received a photo from a soldier with a thumbs up – the bullet hit the helmet and missed the head. We know we saved a life,” Baran said.
Photo: Roman Ponomarjov
Author: Inna Mikhno