Spring Break
Family ties and friendship focus of Russian Festival
Issue date: 10/25/07
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For $2, you can buy yourself passage into a tent decorated with red Christmas lights. Older women and men struggle to find a seat while holding plates loaded with Vareniki (potato and cheese dumplings) and Borscht (beet soup that tickles the senses). For the 34th time, the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church opened its doors and brought the Annual Russian Festival to life.
In that same tent, a stage could be seen. A plump man, who was clearly the church's joker, called upon the crowd to get excited. Using phrases like "splashed with smiles" and "dripping with happiness," he turned the already casual atmosphere into a family barbecue where all were listening to their favorite uncle who decided to take the microphone.
That same stage became the dance floor for the Lyman Ukrainian Dance group on both Saturday and Sunday. Wearing traditional clothing and red boots, men and women stomped their way through several traditional numbers involving enthusiastic jumping and an engaged crowd clapping along. It was easy to get lost with the proud parents and friends, as they rooted on their dancers.
From the tent area, a passage led to the Church Hall where most of the arts and crafts were found. Beautifully engraved Russian dolls, paintings, hand-sewn dolls and books imported from Russia called to the wary shopper. There was a credit card sale department where you could purchase tickets that could be used in any of the tiny shops.
The festival was run by volunteers managed by the Sisterhood, a homely group of female members of the parish. While most volunteers belonged to the church, there were also recruited friends of the members who came from all over the country to help.
When asked, a volunteer said that she worked the festival simply because she "just loved the church." This feeling was repeated throughout the booths as people lit up to explain how proud they were to be helping their parish. Ms. Vass, the proud mother of Pastor John, detailed how cousins from Michigan and New Jersey came just to help with the festival.
In that same tent, a stage could be seen. A plump man, who was clearly the church's joker, called upon the crowd to get excited. Using phrases like "splashed with smiles" and "dripping with happiness," he turned the already casual atmosphere into a family barbecue where all were listening to their favorite uncle who decided to take the microphone.
That same stage became the dance floor for the Lyman Ukrainian Dance group on both Saturday and Sunday. Wearing traditional clothing and red boots, men and women stomped their way through several traditional numbers involving enthusiastic jumping and an engaged crowd clapping along. It was easy to get lost with the proud parents and friends, as they rooted on their dancers.
From the tent area, a passage led to the Church Hall where most of the arts and crafts were found. Beautifully engraved Russian dolls, paintings, hand-sewn dolls and books imported from Russia called to the wary shopper. There was a credit card sale department where you could purchase tickets that could be used in any of the tiny shops.
The festival was run by volunteers managed by the Sisterhood, a homely group of female members of the parish. While most volunteers belonged to the church, there were also recruited friends of the members who came from all over the country to help.
When asked, a volunteer said that she worked the festival simply because she "just loved the church." This feeling was repeated throughout the booths as people lit up to explain how proud they were to be helping their parish. Ms. Vass, the proud mother of Pastor John, detailed how cousins from Michigan and New Jersey came just to help with the festival.
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