The Simply Slavic Heritage Festival takes place in downtown Youngstown, offering plenty of live entertainment, an ethnic marketplace, cultural exhibits, a Slavic beer garden and all sorts of delicious ethnic food. There is an admission to this festival.
2023 DATE: June 16-17, 2023
Location: Downtown Youngstown
Website: https://www.simplyslavic.org/
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This post documents my experience on June 15, 2019.
In the heart of downtown Youngstown…
…the cultures of several nations were celebrated…
…at a festival called Simply Slavic.
Right beyond one of the entrances sat a Heritage Tent…
…where ethnic clubs and groups showcased their cultures…
…assisted visitors seeking information…
…and even offered some musical entertainment (SNPJ Slovenian Heritage Center).
Just outside the tent was a vendor area…
…where festival goers could shop for such items as Slavic coffee mugs…
…beautiful pins made from Eastern European postage stamps (Treasures in Glass)…
… Polka music galore…
…truffles with alcohol (The Bom)…
…jewelry, religious items…
…and Russian dolls.
From there, it was easy to find yourself at either the info booth’s Slavic Auction…
…the children’s activity area, if you have kids…
…before these ladies getting yourself a shot of alcohol…
…or inside the Wasco Entertainment Tent…
…where there was a bar filled with imported Slavic beers, vodka and brandy…
…and some great toe-tapping entertainment (Jack Vasko Band).
In terms of eating, there was a huge dining tent…
…where local businesses and churches offered pierogi, cabbage and noodles, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage (Krakus/Sts. Peter and Paul)…
…nut rolls, kolachi (Country Cottage/Kolachi Anytime)…
…ceregi and more!
And there was even more food outside the tent at a handful of food trucks and carts (Babcia’s/Crago’s)…
…including these great-looking chimney cakes (Steel City Chimneys)…
…which could have been eaten while enjoying the Lucina Slovak Folklore Ensemble of Cleveland in their performance.
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AUTHOR’S NOTE: I received free admission to the festival.