For 59 years Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival has been a beacon of culture, celebrated among those of Ukrainian descent and shared with anyone wanting to experience the colourful, rich traditions of music, dance and food.

And everything is in place to continue the celebration this August long weekend at the Selo Ukraina site at the foot of Riding Mountain National Park, south of Dauphin, said CNUF president Kayla Gillis.

“We’re really looking forward to festival weekend. The ticket sales have been amazing and we are so grateful that patrons keep coming back year after year and they always bring somebody new with them,” Gillis said, adding she is eagerly anticipating a new twist this year that she is sure will delight the crowd.

“Our Saturday night grandstand, we’re doing something we’ve never done before. We’re bringing in a projection screen for a backdrop and Rusulka is coming to perform their show Voda. They are going to be using backdrop projection to be able to help tell the story line of the dance. So we will be utilizing a later grandstand on Saturday evening just so with the darkness, the projector will work better.”

Gillis is pleased that CNUF remains such a strong attraction at a time when other festivals are struggling to attract crowds. In fact, she said advance ticket sales are up about 15 per cent over the last two years.

“I do think it has a lot to do with the community and the surrounding communities that still want to support this cultural festival. I think a lot of it is just that connection that we have to Ukraine,” she said.

“And having a lot of the newcomers (Ukrainian immigrants fleeing the war in their homeland), as well. I do believe that is a factor.”

But even with a 59-year history there are many people who have never attended CNUF.

Come once and you will be hooked, Gillis said.

Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald.