«Destinations» rounds up a list of the most spectacular and interesting events taking place in the capital of Ukraine over the upcoming Orthodox Christmas weekend.
On January 7th, 2017 Kyiv downtown will host a major Christmas Stars parade. The parade is organized by Ivan Honchar National Culture Museum and Folk Ukraine ethno-project.
Parade route: Sofiyska Square (12:00) - National Opera House - Khreshchatyk - Maydan Nezalezhnosti - Mykhaylivska Square - Volodymyrsky slope - Sofiyska Square.
After the Parade Sofiyska Square invites all the guests for a festive Christmas Concert, which will start at 13:30 and will last till 17:30. Folk bands from all over Ukraine will sing authentic Christmas carols of various regions of the country. «Mist» indie theater and actors of Ivan Franko National Drama Theater will perform the Vertep. Vertep, the Ukrainian Christmas puppet theater, is a group of people going from house to house, showing short Biblical themed scenes and carol singing.
In addition, Didukh Festival will take place on Sofiyska and Mykhaylivska Squares. Guests will have a chance to discover didukhs of all styles and kinds from different regions of Ukraine. The Didukh is made from a sheaf of wheat and it symbolizes the large wheat field in Ukraine. It literally means 'grandfather spirit' and can represent people's ancestors being with them in their memories. These days modern Ukrainian families just put some heads of wheat in a vase rather than a whole sheaf of wheat.
On January 7th - 8th, 2017 Spivoche Pole in Kyiv invites to attend folklore festival «Zymova Krayina Mriy» («Winter Dream Country»). The festival offers Christmas fair, traditional Ukrainian Christmas festivities, vertep performances, carol singing and folk bands live gigs.
VDNH Expp Complex invites to attend various Christmas themed events on January 7th and 8th, 2017. There will be various indie theater performances, ice skating shows, Christmas animation for children, good music and delicious hot food and drinks from the best street food vendors in Kyiv.
Kyiv Rus Park in Kopachev (Kopachiv village, Obukhiv highway, about 50 km away from Kyiv) invites to spend exciting medieval themed Christmas weekend. Here children will have a chance to enjoy horse riding, costume party and authentic Ukrainian vertep performance, Kyiv Rus food and drinks tasting and many other fun activities. The entertaining programs will run daily from January 7th till January 9th, 2017.
Photo source: shutterstock.com, pinterets.com, VDNH EXPO and Folk Ukraine Facebook Pages. All photos belong to their rightful owners.
