Sunday, September 30, 2018
Staff report
AUSTINTOWN
As many people in today’s society spend a lot of time debating with one another about a host of topical issues, a major benefit of a longtime indoor festival is that it gives attendees an opportunity to sideline their religious, political and other differences, an organizer says.
“People of all faiths can set aside their religious and political differences and enjoy the music, food and friendships,” said Father Lubomyr Zhybak, pastor of St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church, the site of Sunday afternoon’s annual fall Ukrainian Festival. “We don’t have to look at the things that divide us, but at what unites us.”
Sponsors included Schwebel’s Bakery and Marco’s Pizza.
Uniting the hundreds of people who attended the six-hour family-friendly fest at the 51-year-old church, 4310 Kirk Road, was the variety of ethnic foods and music.
In addition to offering authentic, traditional Ukrainian dishes and entertainment, the festival was to “keep our community together and keep our traditions alive,” Father Zhybak noted.