Ukrainian Fest
to
Lakeview Park, Middleton 6300 Mendota Ave. , Middleton, Wisconsin 53562
courtesy Friends of Ukraine
Friends of Ukraine board members at the 2023 Ukrainian Fest.
Friends of Ukraine board members at the 2023 Ukrainian Fest.
media release: Ukrainian Fest is an annual event that the Friends of Ukraine – Madison, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has been holding to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day for what will be the third year in a row on Saturday, August 24, 2024, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. The first Ukrainian Fest was held in 2022, just months after the war against Ukraine escalated. The event is an opportunity for Americans and Ukrainians – both longtime immigrants and newly arrived war refugees – to come together and share a meal, dance, listen to live music, and celebrate Ukrainian culture – all while raising funds to help refugees in the Madison area.
At Ukrainian Fest, residents of the Madison area have the opportunity to get to know Ukrainian traditions – through cultural elements like borscht soup, vyshyvanka embroidery, and how warmly Ukrainians welcome guests – all from the Ukrainian people living in their community. For the refugees at the event, it’s a chance for them to meet their new neighbors who have welcomed them to Wisconsin in their time of need.
For Friends of Ukraine – Madison, this will be the first Ukrainian Fest since earning the 501(c)3 certification for their organization. “This has been a dream for us,” explains Ruslana Westerlund, Friends of Ukraine – Madison’s director. “Our group came together organically when we saw a need for the Ukrainian diaspora to not only have a group of welcoming people who can understand and respond to their needs as we go through this difficult time with the war, but also to be able to see Ukrainian culture celebrated and shared in Madison.”
This year, Ukrainian Fest will include performances by students attending Madison’s Ukrainian school, live music, and dance performances by local cultural groups, children’s games, traditional cuisine, and handicrafts and souvenirs for purchase from local artisans and imported from Ukraine. The event will also have a silent auction, raffle prizes, VIP passes, a bake sale, and much more for attendees to enjoy.
Friends of Ukraine – Madison uses the funds raised at the event to host educational and cultural events in Dane County and to support refugees from Ukraine in the Madison area. As awareness of the war has tapered off, but the number of refugees and their needs have grown, the money donated at Ukrainian Fest will be critical to serving the mission of the organization and assisting Ukrainian refugees arriving in Wisconsin.
To learn more abut Ukrainian Fest and about Friends of Ukraine – Madison, visit www.friendsofukrainemadison.
Friends of Ukraine - Madison, Inc is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our aim is to support the local Ukrainian community living in Dane County and promote Ukrainian culture among Wisconsinites through cultural events, workshops, and festivals.
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