East Coast cities, many of which served as ports of European immigration over the last two centuries, are able to boast a variety of ethnic communities with residents living a life rich in the culture and traditions of their respective homelands.
Washington and Baltimore form the largest Ukrainian communities in the mid-Atlantic area. Both communities are grounded in their Catholic and Orthodox churches and each celebrate their heritage with late-summer festivals.
One week before the District’s Ukrainian Festival, the Baltimore counterpart celebrates the sights and sounds of Ukraine with traditional dancers, live music, crafts and national foods. Patterson Park, high up over Baltimore’s Highlandtown rooftops with superb views of the downtown skyline, is the setting for the 34th annual Ukrainian Festival on Sept. 11 and 12.
“We always host the weekend after Labor Day because people are trying to hold on to one last good summer weekend,” said Jullie Humeniuk, the festival’s chairwoman. “We usually have beautiful weather for it [and] it’s open, free and in the park.”
Both a landmark and a tourist attraction in east Baltimore, the locals call the Patterson Park Corridor “The Little Ukrainian Village in Baltimore.” Its strong presence in the city is marked by the golden domes of St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church, a dedicated Ukrainian credit union, sports club and youth association. One of the driving reasons for the festival is to keep the landmark alive. Throughout the festival weekend, top entertainment groups perform, such as the D3BIH Choir of Philadelphia, the St. Michael Choir, accordionist Matt Dubois & Company, performing dance music in the festival’s famed Ukrainian Beer Garden and hometown favorite Lyman Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.
“This year we are honored to have a group called the Kalena Dancers,” Humeniuk said. “They are on a world tour and they finish in Baltimore.”
Festival organizers bid guests to bring large appetites and feast on Ukrainian dishes such as pyrohy (pierogi), kielbasa, potato pancakes, borscht soup, homemade breads and their wonderful honey liquor, medivka. A variety of imported beers is available in the beer garden.
Maria Kaczaniuk, as chairwoman for the St. Michael church council also wears many festival hats, not the least of which involves the vendors.
Humeniuk compares the yearlong festival planning to a wedding or the Macy’s Day Parade.
“There are once-a-month meetings and then everything comes together,” she said. “When it’s over, you start planning for next year.”
