Annual Ukrainian Festival Scheduled

The annual Ukrainian Festival will be held Sunday, September 23, at a new location this year: Paproski’s Castle Hill Farm Pumpkin Patch, 40 Sugar Lane.

The day will begin at 11 am, with a the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated by the Reverend Ivan Mazuryk, pastor of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church of Bridgeport. Responses will be sung by the church choir.

Ukrainian food — varenyky (potato dumplings like pyrogies), holubchi (stuffed cabbage), kobassa (kielbasa) and kapucta (sweet fried cabbage) — made by the parish women, under the direction of Taras and Maria Slevinsky, will be available for purchase along with picnic-style food and liver and onion sandwiches.

A lively program, organized by Roman Stanislawsky, will begin at 2:30 pm.  It will consist of ethnic Ukrainian dancing performed by the Kolynonka Ukrainian Dance Group of Stamford, and Ukrainian songs performed by Mykola Maksymyuk and Anatolij Krytey and a duet by the Korenovsky Sisters.

An exhibit of Ukrainian arts and crafts coordinated by Gloria and Chrystyna Horbaty will be offered, and vendors will be selling Ukrainian artifacts and embroidered blouses.

Other entertainment throughout the day, organized by Diana and Stephen Paproski, include volleyball and horseshoe tournaments, hayrides, corn maze, pony rides, petting zoo, Moon Walk, chess, and a Varenyky Eating Contest.  Zabava (dance) music will be provided by DJ Ihor Lukiv.

Admission is $2, and the event will be held rain or shine.

Plenty of free off-street parking is available. Bring seating.

The event is sponsored by Holy Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church of Bridgeport.

For information, call Gloria P. Horbaty at 203-269-5909 or Stephen Paproski at 203-426-5487.