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Uniontown church prepares for annual ethnic festival
Joseph Mihalko was one of the founders of the church at 185 E. Main St. His son, Daniel Mihalko, was an active and influential parishioner.
Daniel Mihalko’s children have remained active with the church and have worked to keep the spiritual and cultural traditions they learned as children alive.
Paul Mihalko, Daniel’s son, is one of the coordinators of the church's annual Carpatho-Rusyn Celebration.
The event will be held from noon to 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the church and will feature cultural activities, presentations, entertainment, and ethnic food.
"The theme for the 2002 event is Continuing the Cultural Among Families. That is key to our church. We have many families who have such a long tradition with the church, such as the Mihalkos. My family’s involvement with the parish dates back to the 1930s. My great-grandfather was the first cantor and teacher for the area," said Dan Sochko, of Uniontown.
"Family is very important. We want this celebration to be a unifying experience for the families. Perhaps the children will learn new things and ask mom and dad about them. If mom and dad cannot answer, then the children and parents can go and ask the grandparents and research the cultural heritage together. It’s a family learning experience," said Bonnie Balas, festival coordinator.
Balas said this is the 21st year for the Carpatho-Rusyn Festival.
"The festival evolved from the Greater Uniontown Ethnic Festival. This event was once hosted by the community. After some time, it fell through. Our church always prepared for this event and it was decided that we would host our own ethnic festival for the area," Balas said.
The coordinators for the event anticipate that more than 1,000 people will attend.
Children will have many hands-on opportunities to learn about their culture through a variety of activities designed specifically for them.
"The children are the key to learning and carrying on the traditions of our ancestors. We want to perpetuate the customs and also promote the children’s interest and enthusiasm for the church," Balas said.
There also will be ongoing demonstrations by local artisans who are familiar with the Byzantine Catholic traditions, such as pysanky (egg painting), painting religious icons and egg etching.
One of the main attractions at the festival is the food. According to Balas, 2,400 potato pierogi, 300 sauerkraut pierogi, 1,500 cabbage rolls, 400 potato pancakes, 85 pounds of kielbasa with sauerkraut, 63 pagach, and 140 pounds of halushki (cabbage and noodles) will be made. A variety of ethnic desserts, such as kolachi, will also be on hand.
"Our kitchen is staffed by some wonderful people. They start preparing for this event at least two weeks ahead of time," Balas said.
The Rev. Tom Wesdock, who transferred to the church in December 2001, will start the Carpatho-Rusyn Festival on Sunday with a Mass from 9 to 11:15 a.m.
Wesdock said that he was raised with Carpatho-Rusyn customs. His father is Slavic and his mother is Rusyn Byzantine Catholic.
At 1:30 p.m., John Righetti, of Sewickley, president of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society, will present "Who are the Rusyns? Folk Customs." After Righetti’s presentation, Jerry Jumba, a local musician, will conduct a Rusyn music sing-along.
At 2:30 p.m., Wesdock will address "Eastern Christianity — Not What You Think."
Children’s cultural storytelling will take place at 3 p.m. in the children’s area.
The Slavjane Folk Ensemble from the Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church in McKees Rocks, Allegheny County, will entertain the visitors with dancing and music at 3:30 p.m.
The day will conclude with Dean Poloka, Carpatho-Rusyn tour director, and other participants sharing experiences from their recent visits to Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.
"The Carpatho-Rusyn Festival is a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. I enjoy working on it every year. I want to preserve our culture, and I want to educate the children so that they might one day do the same," Balas said.
