If you think after 57 years you know what Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival is all about, get ready to be surprised.
The annual celebration of Ukrainian culture and heritage has plenty of new and different attractions to keep fesitvalgoers interested and entertained.
And that is reflected in ticket sales.
“We are so excited. Actually our ticket sales are going phenomenal, so good, in fact, we had to release more upper camping spots,” CNUF president Kayla Gillis said. “We haven’t done that since our 50th anniversary, so we’re very excited to have a lot of ticket sales in advance and to need some more upper camping.”
One of the changes this year involves moving the showcase performance up in the schedule.
“Our extravaganza show is going to be on Saturday night instead of on Sunday night this year. The dance group can only make it for the Saturday night, they had to travel back to Alberta on the Sunday,” Gillis said adding ticket sales for Saturday are heating up. “So we’re just changing things up a little bit to see if it makes a difference. Our Sunday night show is going to feature something special, as well. So you’ll have to come to check it out and see what it is.”
The extravaganza show features the Edmonton-based dance group Shumka.
Established in 1959, the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers is Canada’s only professional Ukrainian dance company. Shumka presents dance-theatre touring productions, as well as intimate concerts across the country and around the world and has been seen by millions on international television broadcasts. The company has presented command performances for queens, prime ministers, and presidents, and has performed alongside many big name entertainers. Along with Alberta Ballet and Edmonton Opera, Shumka is a resident company of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
Fans will be treated to a first-class performance as more than 60 years of history has shaped Shumka’s signature music and dance style. While maintaining deep respect for their heritage, Shumka challenges conventional boundaries to define the experience of Ukrainian dance in the context of modern society. Shumka has completed nine cross-Canada tours, and toured China and Ukraine on two occasions, including with one of its biggest productions, Shumka’s Cinderella which premiered in 2000.
Shumka will share the festival stages throughout the weekend with many other top-notch entertainers including Vohon Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Trembita, Zirka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Zabutnyy Dance Company, DJ Gordo, Mashyna, Tyt i Tam, Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group, Druzhba Ensemble, Prairie Fire, Rushnychok Ukrainian Folk Dance Association, Bratstva, Lyra Vocal Group, The Sparkling Tones, Party Time Orchestra and Sche Raz, among others.
Between performances, Gillis said patrons can check out some of the other changes being made this year, including the Farmers’ Market on Saturday afternoon in the cultural village.
Another change includes holding the talent competition on Friday only this year, due to a low number of entries.
“And then on Saturday to replace it, we are offering a dance workshop with our adjudicators, so that’s pretty large for all the young dancers,” Gillis said. “We just needed to do what we had to, to make sure that everybody still had something to do on the Saturday morning.”
Another attraction this year involves the 50th anniversary celebration of Canada’s Riding and Dancing Cossacks and Company.
“They’re having a celebration on the Saturday in the Cultural Village, as well in their Cossack Camp and all alumni are invited to join in,” Gillis said.
Another new attraction this year is the Friday Night Festival Social.
“A next-gen social at our Polka Party stage, trying to get that younger crowd to come up to the hill,” Gillis said.
Of course, there will still be five amazing grandstand variety shows in the spacious amphitheatre, she added, as well as four sponsor stages with ongoing hourly entertainment all weekend, evening zabavas and polka parties, ongoing entertainment in the heritage village, a vendors pavilion, food booths, early morning pancake breakfasts all three days, a return shuttle service from Dauphin and on-site shuttle service, children’s entertainment and activities, fresh clay oven bread, Saturday fireworks, a perogy eating contest and the popular Festival Parade, Saturday at 10 a.m.
It all adds up to an exciting weekend at Selo Ukraina, Aug. 4 to 6.
“Obviously we’re doing a little bit of shuffling. I don’t know if that’s the reasoning for our ticket sales to be significantly higher or if everybody’s out of COVID and ready to party again, I’m not sure. I think probably a little bit of both,” Gillis said. “We have new things and there are also some new things that I didn’t mention. So even if you’ve been before, come because it’s going to be different. We’re still going to honor our Ukrainian culture and heritage, but we’ve added a few new flares. Bring a buddy that’s never been and please come out and support us, so that we can keep going for next year and many, many more years to come.”
