10 November 2019 took place the III Ukrainian Festival organised by @Ukrainian Association of South Africa with the support of @embrsa / @Публічна дипломатія and @Knorhoek Wine Farm!

South Africans had an opportunity to immerse themselves in Ukrainian culture and traditions. On the main stage you could see some of the unique traditional Ukrainian instruments: tsymbaly played by @Petro skazkiv and bandura played by @Nadia Pryimak and @Svitlana Neil. There was poetry readings by @Oksana Rozumna and @ Joseph Koetsier. And a diverse mix of music: Дивина ensemble with Donetsk region folk songs, Dragana Jevtovic with Liam Pitcher, Antonina Darienko, @Tommy Dell, Irina Tulis, Svetlana Sheremet, and  even our own Ukrainian-South African band! Kids from Ukrainian school in Cape Town performed Maria Burmaka song “Volokhatiy pavuchok”.

You could learn Ukrainian folk dancing that was accessible for any level and all ages as well as enjoy watching professionals: Hopak performed by Oleksii Ishchenko and modern dance by Katy Aleshyna.

Our most precious and full location throughout the day (apart from the kitchen 😊) was masterclasses where children and adults could learn Ukrainian traditional crafts: Petrykivka painting by @Tatiana Hurn, Doll-making and Bird-painting by @Дивина, learn how to make varenyky by our expert @suzi davey, learn about Ukrainian science and participate in experiments by @Kateryna Koshkidko, solve quest on Ukrainian history and culture or learn what it takes to be a Cossack at Cossacks games!

A separate location was Ukrainian art where you could see incredible copies of seven thousands old Trypillia sculptures, enjoy the exhibition “Ukrainian Safari” by famous Ukrainian artist Kateryna Pryimachenko, and see painting in Petrykivka style by local artist @Tatiana Hurn.

Ukrainian festival would not be completed if there would not be delicious Ukrainian cuisine!  Borsch, Varenyky, Holubtsi, Nalysnyky, Uzvar, Salo and many more dishes entertained first commers and pleased those who are regular commers to Ukrainian Festival in South Africa!

We are grateful to our fantastic team who made this festival possible: @Zoia Dei, @Anna Ovrakhova, @Tatiana Hurn, @Tatyana Shilina, @Svetlana Sheremet, @Olesya Matviyas (Loubster), @Katy Aleshyna, @Ruslana Malichenko, @Antonina Darienko, @Nadia Pryimak, @Alex Kibalenko, @Volodymyr Dei, @Alyona Smith Polovchenko, @Thurlou Kohler, @Chris Haw, @Suzi Humen Davey, @Maryna Lichman, @Mykola Swystowych, @Irina Poddubnaya, @Hannah Zhukovina, @Marta Saipudinova, @Nataliya Pearce, @Donovan Pearce, @Olya Kononenko, @Svitlana Neil, @Valentyna Popovskaya, @Vlada Du Toit, @Nick Biletsky, @Nadijka Kyvenko, @Kateryna Koshkidko, @Oleksii Ishchenko, @Irina Tulis, @Stephan Kacedan, @Vic Field, @Lyudmyla van Aarde, @Aleksandra Carstens, @Joseph Koetsier, @Donovan Hurn

Thank you to everyone who contributed in making it happen! We are already gearing up for a bigger and even better festival in 2020!