You're reading: Celebrating Independence Day

Ukraine will mark its 21st anniversary of Independence on Aug. 24. Apart from traditional celebrations scheduled for the coming long weekend in Kyiv, plenty of ethnic festivals for any taste and budget will be happening all around the country.

Kyiv Post offers you a selection of places that are worth visiting during the extended weekend that starts Independence Day: 

Etnovyr

Ethnic
festival

Lviv

[Aug. 22-26]

Here’s a good
opportunity to learn more about the traditions and culture of Ukraine, Mexico,
Martinique, Israel, Macedonia, Portugal, France, Italy, the Basque country, the
Republic of Burundi, Czech Republic, Poland, India and Spain.

Traditional
music, dances, handicrafts and cuisine of these countries will be featured
during the five-day international ethnic fest happening in Lviv between Aug. 22
and Aug. 26. Folk bands will be giving concerts and dancing master classes and
visitors will be treated to local food and drinks.

Besides the
Independence Day, the festival is celebrating its own anniversary. It will be
held for 5th time this year.

For the
detailed schedule visit event’s website
http://etnovyr.org.ua/program/

Entrance fee
– Free

Kyiv-Lviv
return ticket – around Hr 300 (overnight train or bus)

If watching
movies is your thing, visit KinoLev open-air film festival that will be held in
Lviv between Aug. 22-26.

The best
movies by one of the brightest representatives of the new wave of French cinema
Claude Chabrol and well-known Georgian-Ukrainian filmmaker Sergiy Paradzhanov
are on the schedule. As a special treat, the festival will screen a  modern Ukrainian movie that featured in the
2010 Cannes festival, called “You. My joy.”

Entrance fee
– Hr 50

For the
location and detailed schedule of the fest go to
http://idem.org.ua/projects/kinolev/lokatsiji

(032) 295-69-68

Ancient
Medzhybizh

Ethnic
festival

Medzhybizh,
Khmelnytska Oblast

[Aug. 24-26]

The program
of this festival is an exciting mixture of fencing tournaments, folk dancing,
ethnic rock gigs and breathtaking fireworks displays. Moreover, it will be held
on the territory of the 14th century stone fortress (currently a
museum) originally built by the Lithuanians.

Participants
of historical fencing clubs will clash in 2×2 and 5×5 categories to create a
unique and colorful show.

At the
evening the visitors will be entertained by modern ethnic rock bands from
Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Guests of the event will also have chance to shoot
an arrow, taste medieval cuisine as well as attend master classes in ancient
crafts and hand-made gifts fair.

Entrance fee
– Hr 200

Kyiv-Khmelnytsk
return ticket – around Hr 200 (overnight train)

Marshrutkas
(Hr 15) will go to festival grounds  from
the central railway station at 9 a.m., 11 a.m.

http://medzh.info/

(067) 382 30 34

Steel Rose

Historical fencing
festival

Lutsk

[Aug. 24-26]

One of the
oldest and most picturesque, the Lutsk castle will be hosting its own fencing
fest this weekend. Also built in the 14th century by  Lithuanian prince Liubart , the castle
will gather crowds for two celebrations on Aug. 25. On top of Independence Day,
the city of Lutsk mark its 927th birthday.

The fanciers
of fencing will be arriving from within Ukraine, and from a number of foreign
lands, too. Potters and blacksmiths will also be there, teaching common folk
their craft. Folk dancing classes are also planned on the castle grounds.

Entrance fee
– to be announced

Kyiv-Lutsk
return ticket – around Hr 200 (train), Hr 300 (bus)

Lutsk castle

23 Dragomanova St., Lutsk

(0332) 72-34-32

http://lutckzam.do.am

Ukraine’s
Heart of Steel

Blacksmiths
fest

Ethnic
festival

Rivne

[Aug 24-26]

Blacksmiths
from Ukraine and other countries will be the main heroes of this festival. They
will show off their skills, and will forge a giant heart of steel, hence the
name of the fest.

The program
of the festival also features a jazz concert, a chess championship and  a fair where forged steel goods will be on
offer.  Special master classes for
disabled children will be run by blacksmiths on Aug.25.

For the
detailed information go to event’s website http://rbp-rivne.com/program_festival.html

Entrance fee
– Free

Kyiv-Rive
return ticket – around Hr 200 (train)

Rive, Taras Shevchenko Park

(0362) 28-55-54, 64-30-95

If you decide
to hand around Kyiv, there are at least two places within a short distance of
the city where you can celebrate independence.

The Ballades of Ancient Kyiv

Ethnic festival

Kopachiv, Kyiv region

[Aug.24-26]

The Ballades of Ancient Kyiv ethnic festival is
scheduled for Aug 24-26 in Kyivska Rus medieval outdoor themed Park in Kopachiv
village in Kyiv region.

Around 700 participants of the
historical reconstruction clubs from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Poland,
Lithuania and Germany are set to be dressing up and acting out medieval lives
of their characters.

Period music and master classes
in ancient folk arts and crafts are also on the schedule. The festival will end
with a fireworks display and an ethnic disco party.

For the
detailed information visit
http://www.parkkyivrus.com/

Entrance fee
– Hr 100

Marshrutkas
(Hr 20) will go to the festival grounds place from Vydubychi metro stop every
two hours.

050 385-20-35, 067
910-99-81

Cossack Mamay
Fest

Ethnic
festival

Mamayeva
Sloboda, Kyiv

[Aug.23-24]

The festival is set to bring
together Ukrainians and foreigners with the last name Mamay at Mamayeva
Sloboda, Kyiv’s ethnic themed park, just a short ride from the city center. The
legendary warrior Cossack Mamay, is considered a symbol of Ukraine’s national
idea.

Visitors will have a chance to
take part in a ceremony of streaming the biggest national flag of Ukraine to
mark Independence Day, as well as enjoy traditional Cossack songs performed by
ethnic bands.

For more information go to http://mamajeva-sloboda.ua/news.php?id=580

Entrance fee
– Hr 100

To get there
take marshrutka 427 from Palats Sportu metro stop, 454 from Vokzalna or a
trolleybus 27 or 27k from Shuliavska metro stop.

Mamayeva sloboda

2 Mykhaila Dontsia St.

044 361 98 48

Kyiv Post
staff writer Anastasia Forina can be reached at [email protected]