Living Traditions Folk Ensemble

08/29/2026

We are in the parade and we perform at 2:30!

The 80th Annual One World Day will be held on August 30, 2026 from 11 AM to 6 PM at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in Cleveland, Ohio. This wonderful event includes numerous cultural displays, performing-arts dancers, singers, musicians, ethnic food, and more! Additionally, there will be activities for children.

Thirty-eight unique cultural gardens support this annual festival, including the Carpatho-Rusyn Garden, which was founded in 1939. Look forward to the colorful Parade of Flags as well as displays at the Carpatho-Rusyn Garden and other cultural gardens. For more information, ⤵️ check the comments below for a link to the festival website.

08/18/2026

This past weekend, we had the joy of celebrating TWO birthdays in our village!

Both Vivian and Caryn celebrated their birthdays this past week! Vivian has already moved on to college, but we were so happy to be able to celebrate and sing “Happy Birthday” to our wonderful Caryn!

We hope both of these wonderful girls had the happiest birthdays! We’re so blessed to have them as part of our dance family!

08/17/2026

We perform at 2:30 PM at the garden! Come watch our heritage through song and dance.

The 80th Annual One World Day will be held on August 30, 2026 from 11 AM to 6 PM at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in Cleveland, Ohio. This wonderful event includes numerous cultural displays, performing-arts dancers, singers, musicians, ethnic food, and more! Additionally, there will be activities for children.

Thirty-eight unique cultural gardens support this annual festival, including the Carpatho-Rusyn Garden, which was founded in 1939. Look forward to the colorful Parade of Flags as well as displays at the Carpatho-Rusyn Garden and other cultural gardens. For more information, ⤵️ check the comments below for a link to the festival website.

08/10/2026

Today, our villager Serena was honored to receive a scholarship from the PLAV Pulaski Post 30 Endowment! Congratulations, Serena, on this well-deserved achievement! We are so proud of you and wish you continued success in all that lies ahead!

Dziękujemy, Polonia Foundation of Ohio, for your continued support of our village and our future generations!

07/24/2026

One World Day is almost here, and this isn't just any year... We're celebrating 80 years of One World Day, 250 years of America, and an exciting new chapter for the Carpatho-Rusyn Cultural Garden!

This year, our very own Tom Katrenich and Catherine Kornaker begin their terms as President and Vice President of the Friends of the Carpatho-Rusyn Cultural Garden, and we'd love to help them kick off their presidency with a successful One World Day.

We're asking our LTFE family, friends, and supporters to consider volunteering for an hour or two (or more!) on Sunday, August 30. Volunteers are needed for setup, greeting visitors at our cultural displays, helping with the Andy Warhol Flowers coloring activity, the parade, and teardown. Even a little of your time makes a huge difference, and we're happy to work around your schedule.

If you're unable to volunteer, we completely understand, but we still hope you'll come spend the day with us! Stop by the Carpatho-Rusyn Garden, enjoy the festivities, celebrate our heritage, and be sure to cheer on Living Traditions Folk Ensemble as we perform at 2:00 PM.

If you're interested in volunteering, please send us a message or let Tom know at [email protected]. Thank you for supporting our culture and community!

07/06/2026

Happy (belated) 250th Independence Day, America! 🇺🇸

As we celebrate this historic milestone, we also honor the remarkable Poles, Casimir Pulaski, Tadeusz Kościuszko, and Haym Salomon, whose courage, leadership, and support helped shape the fight for American independence.

Here's to 250 years of freedom and the enduring friendship between the United States and Poland.

On this day in 1776, the Founding Fathers signed the US Declaration of Independence.

07/01/2026

With all of the excitement and preparations for this past weekend, we forgot to wish everyone a happy Noc Kupały (Kupala Night), also known in Poland as Noc Świętojańska (St. John's Eve) last week!

Here's a little flashback to 2014, celebrating the beautiful Midsummer tradition.

Traditionally celebrated around the summer solstice, Noc Kupały is a joyful festival of light, love, nature, and renewal. One of its most beloved customs is for young women to weave flower wreaths (wianki), sing, dance, and set them afloat on the water. Young men would watch downstream, hoping to catch a wreath. According to tradition, catching a maiden's wreath could symbolize the beginning of a romance, or even foretell a future marriage. It was all part of the playful courtship that made this celebration so memorable. The festivities continue throughout the night with a bonfire, and celebrants jump over it to secure good fortune.

Our young women gracefully floated their wreaths while our young men eagerly tried to catch them... and, of course, charm their way into their hearts.

We hope you all had a wonderful Midsummer and enjoyed celebrating the rich traditions that connect us to our heritage!

06/29/2026

Do Šaflika is a lively folk dance from the Rusyn villages of Eastern Slovakia, inspired by the playful traditions of village life. The dance tells the lighthearted story of young villagers gathering, with a touch of friendly flirting, playful teasing, and cheerful courtship woven into the lively steps and music. It's full of energy, smiles, and fun, making it a favorite with both dancers and audiences alike.

Our Young Villagers had an absolute blast showing off and performing our Do Šaflika for you this past weekend! Their enthusiasm, playful personalities, and joy on stage brought this charming dance to life. We hope you enjoyed watching it as much as they enjoyed sharing it with you!

06/29/2026

We had so much fun at the Lorain International Association Festival & Bazaar on Sunday!

While we're used to celebrating our own European heritage, it is always beautiful to witness other cultures and traditions from around the world. Every heritage is unique, meaningful, and worth celebrating. Thank you for a fantastic day, we had a blast!

06/28/2026

Next up is the Lorain International Association Festival & Bazaar! We are on stage at 3! We always have fun on stage for you and cannot wait for today!