Slovak culture flavors Valley festival

By SEAN BARRON

news@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Mallory Vaclav didn’t need an expensive airline ticket to Florida to see a palm tree.

The only necessities were a mirror — and some colorful help from Patty Cervello.

“I didn’t care what she did, so she surprised me,” said 9-year-old Mallory of Canfield, referring to the palm tree painted on the left side of her face that was courtesy of Cervello.

Mallory and Cervello added an array of color to Sunday‘s fifth annual Mahoning Valley Slovak Fest on the St. Matthias Church grounds, 2800 Shady Run Road on the city’s South Side.

Face-painting is something of a tradition for Mallory, who’s had it done all four years she’s attended the event, said her mother, Cherie. Mother and daughter also took part in a Chinese auction and partook of several ethnic dishes, Mallory said, adding that four of her siblings worked at or attended the gathering.

In addition to festivals, Cervello, also known at “The FacepaintingLady,” makes her artistic flair seen at family reunions, bazaars, cultural and charity events, picnics and birthday parties, she explained.

The 8 Ω-hour festival offered a variety of ethnic foods such as holubky (beef hand rolled in a blanket of cabbage), lamb, barbecued chicken and pirohies (potato-filled dough in butter). Prices were $1 to $13.

Attendees enjoyed the combination of ideal weather, food and entertainment, as well as the towel sets, mini banners, soccer shirts, compact discs and other items for sale that tapped into Slovak culture.

Read the full story with photos Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com