Independence Day in Kyiv
Kyiv, the Capital of Ukraine, is where the most important events of Independence Day take place. While other regions do have similar events, it is Kyiv that has more importance when it comes to celebrating this day for both cultural and historical reasons.
Spectacular military parade is one of the significant traditions that have been observed on August 24th every year. This part of the celebration turned out to be rather controversial in a light of recent events in Eastern Ukraine. Many Ukrainians consider a parade in a time of active military conflict somewhat inappropriate, however, official Kyiv says that a parade is a good way to show respect and gratitude to all the soldiers and their families.
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All the disputes aside, one of the most spectacular military parades in independent Ukraine’s history will start on Wednesday morning, August 24th at Khreshchatyk street. It will count over 4 thousand participants and will showcase 200 units of military machinery. The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko will be also attending the parade on the Independence Day 2017 of Ukraine. NATO military troops will take part at the parade for the first time in the history of Ukraine.  

In case you are not into military themed performances, you can attend another kind of parade, the Vyshyvanka parade. This event will take place on August 24th, 2017 at 1 PM with the start near Mystetskyy Arsenal with the stop at Maydan Nezalezhnosti. Every person who has a «vyshyvanka» (traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt or dress) can take part in this spectacular event.

Another «vyshyvanka»-related event is a traditional Race in ‘Vyshyvankas’. On Independence Day of Ukraine (August 24, 2017), the traditional Race in ‘Vyshyvankas’ will take place in the capital of Ukraine. This is a charitable event aiming to collect funds for the purchase of track and field kits for students of five schools in Kyiv. The big Independence Race will start at Rusanivska waterfront on August 24, 2017 in Kyiv. However, the festive Race will last until August 27, 2017 in other cities. Both adults and children can step into the fight for the Independence Cup. Everyone will be able to contribute to the charity and to test their strength at different distances: children up to 10 y.o. will run 100 meters; children under 15 y.o. - 500 meters; and adults will compete in the 500-meter, 5- and 10- kilometer distances.

Spivoche Pole will host a spectacular «Barvy Ukraine» flower fair. The fair will open on August 18th, 2017. The most interesting part of the fair will be a giant map of Ukraine made of 200 thousand flowers. 

Live concert will be taking place on Maydan Nezaleshnosti starting at 6 PM. All the guests are  invited to listen to some good Ukrainian bands and musicians. The concert will end with the traditional fireworks. 

Shifting away from Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities offer plenty of fun and patriotically themed activities to celebrate the Independence Day.

Lviv will be hosting annual «Etnovyr» Festival on August 24th. This is one of the most spectacular festivals of Western Ukraine. Folklore of different countries as well as different retrospectives of Ukrainian folk culture will be showcased to all the guests in forms of dance, theater, cinema, fine art and literature. This spectacular event drives thousands of attendees from different countries to Lviv in order to create a unique multicultural atmosphere. «Etnovyr» will be happening on numerous locations all over town. We suggest that you check the detailed information on its schedule on-line. The majority of events during the festival are free.

LvivMozArt is the newest addition to Lviv busy festival scene and a great way to celebrate the Independence Day of Ukraine with good and refined music. LvivMozArt is a festival of classical music and opera. Visitors will have a chance to enjoy concerts by famous European orchestras and opera singers. Besides concerts, the festival will offer a series of workshops and lectures for professional musicians, directors, actors and people who work in classical music and theater related spheres. LvivMozArt Festival will be taking place in Lviv from August 18th till August 25th, 2017.

Taking place at one of the more remote and industrial districts of Lviv, Sergey Parajanov Festival in Lviv aims to start the whole new cinema art movement in Ukraine. This year’s festival is dedicated to Sergei Parajanov, the legend of cinematic art in Ukraine. 
One of the 20th century's greatest masters of cinema Sergei Parajanov was born in Georgia, his parents were Armenians. It was always unlikely that his work would conform to the strict socialist realism that Soviet authorities preferred. In 1964 Parajanov created «Shadows of forgotten ancestors» («Tini zabutyh predkiv»), a rhapsodic celebration of Ukrainian folk culture. This movie allowed the world to discover a startling and idiosyncratic new cinema talent.
All the visitors will have a chance to watch Parajanov’s greatest movies on a big screen during the festival. The Festival will take place from August 19th till August 24th, 2017 in Levandivka area in Lviv. 

«Okean Elzy» concert will be the highlight of Independence Day 2017 of Ukraine celebration in Kharkiv. This is without any doubt the most popular Ukrainian band, the symbol of Ukrainian pop-rock contemporary music. The band is well known not only in Ukraine, but in many other countries worldwide. Each concert of «Okean Elzy» gathers thousands of fans and creates unforgettable atmosphere. The Independence Day concert will take place at «Metalist» stadion, on August 24th at 8 PM.

Odesa will celebrate Independence Day of Ukraine with the major Vyshyvanka Festival (August 22 - August 24, 2017). For 3 days numerous Ukrainian musicians and dancers will entertain locals and guests of this beautiful Southern Ukrainian city. The dress code is «vyshyvanka», of course.

Celebrating the Independence Day 2017 in Ukraine is one of the best parts about summer. You get a chance to spend a wonderful day with your family, watch fireworks, go to a parade or attend various concerts and fairs — the options are endless and extremely exciting.
Read: Main Art Events of August 2017
Image source: shutterstock.com, Parajanov Fest & MozArt FAcebook pages. All images belong to their rightful owners.