September 25, 2014
Howell, NJ: St. Alexander Nevsky Parish holds Slavic Festival

On Sunday, September 21, the great feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral in Howell, NJ, followed by the 10th Annual Slavic Festival, which was held on the parish grounds. Cathedral clergy led tours of the church, which was open throughout the day for visitors to enter and pray.

Many visitors gathered at the festival from Howell and New York City, as well as neighboring towns and states. Immediately upon entering the grounds, guests were met with tents offering wares from Russia and Ukraine, souvenirs, icons, books, and church supplies. Guests had an opportunity to experience Russian and Ukrainian food: borscht, pelmeni, kotlety, shish-kabob, and cabbage rolls. A special musical and dance program was organized for festival visitors: throughout the day, the "Barynya" musical and "Troika" dance ensembles performed on stage, while accordionists played around the festival.

Entertainment and various games were organized for the children. Near the end of the day, a lottery was held with quality prizes, the best of which was an iPad. Howell’s Slavic festival was attended not only by ethnic Slavs, but also by local Americans, Kalmyks, Hispanics, and those of other nationalities. Parishioners and festival guests had a wonderful time at the festival, many spending the entire day there before departing. The festival concluded well after dark, and was a success thanks to the hard work of cathedral parishioners and volunteers, who prepared for it months beforehand, and took active part in its operation throughout the day.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese