Saturday, June 15, 2013
Noon to Midnight
100 Federal Plaza, Youngstown, OH
Admission: $3.00 (12 and under free)
Simply Slavic was created to celebrate Greater Youngstown's colorful Slavic community. The event began in 2011 to educate both the region's large number of Slavic descendants and the community at large about Slavic heritage.
Keeping with its mission, the event will showcase the rich traditions of the Mahoning Valley's Slavic culture with food, music, dance and customs of the various Slavic ethnicities represented here with an
Ecumenical Blessing and Parade of Flags
A Slavic Kitchen featuring homemade foods from more than a dozen churches, businesses and ethnic groups (including the Youngstown-Warren-Sharon Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society)
An Ethnic Heritage Tent where each of the Slavic groups from around the region will create exhibits to educate visitors about the culture of their region through items like maps, flags, pictures, language lessons and information about famous immigrants from that country.
A Market Place of vendors selling imported dolls, eggs, linens, and apparel reflecting the various nations of the festival.
A Baking Contest where amateurs can submit their favorite items to be judged by area Slavic celebrities and
The Wasko Stage featuring music and entertainment throughout the day to include four of the regions most colorful folk dance troupes including Cleveland's Living Traditions Folk Ensemble and Harmonia.
The modern day European nations representing the origins of Slavic ancestry are Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Although the Carpatho-Rusyns have no nation per se, they are within this area and will be represented as well.
Schedule of Events*
12:00 Noon - Opening Ceremonies - Ecumenical Blessing and Parade of Flags
12:40 PM - Tamburaski Orkestar Nocne Sove (Night Owl Tamburitzans)
1:30 PM - Youngstown Ukrainian Dancers
2:15 PM - Del Sinchak Orchestra
3:00 PM - Happy Hearts Junior Tamburitzans
3:45 PM - Del Sinchak Orchestra
4:30 PM - Living Traditions Folk Ensemble (Polish set)
5:15 PM - Del Sinchak Orchestra
6:00 PM - St. Nicholas Russian Dancers
6:45 PM - Tamburaski Orkestar Nocne Sove
7:30 PM - Living Traditions Folk Ensemble (Slovak Rusyn set)
8:30 PM - Harmonia
Midnight or Later Conclusion
* Event Schedule Subject to Change
If you have attended this event, you will be pleased to know that the event area has been expanded to two city blocks to give everyone more elbow room and allow people to interact in a better street fair-like layout. Ken Shirilla, event chairman, states, "We also have more food vendors to feed the people later in the day and provide non-stop live entertainment until midnight".
The Youngstown-Warren-Sharon Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society will man a food booth, so stop by and say, "Hi" or lend a hand if needed.
Parking - all legal "on street" parking is free on Saturday and several privately owned lots and garages are near the festival site.
To get more information about this wonderful event go to www.simplyslavic.org or info@simplyslavic.org Ken Shirilla can be reached at 330-503-9874.
Don't forget to look for The Eastern European Congress of Ohio's booth to lend a hand or offer support that will bring attention to the need for Eastern European awareness in Ohio. For information go to info@eecoh.com or call 330-659-0961.
Come on out and support our culture.
