Your First Ukrainian Festival: What Actually Happens

The stage

Live music and dance run through the whole afternoon. Expect folk ensembles, choirs, a bandura or two — the multi-stringed Ukrainian instrument that sounds somewhere between a harp and a lute — and dance groups performing the hopak, which is faster and more athletic than most people expect.

Between acts the stage is used for announcements, thank-yous to the people who built the day, and the contests.

The food

The food court is the first place most people go. Borscht, varenyky, cabbage rolls and grilled sausage are the fixtures, with sweets and coffee alongside. The Korchma, the Ukrainian Tavern, is the sit-down corner of the field for food, drinks and conversation.

Come hungry and come early — the queue at one o'clock is longer than the queue at noon.

The market and the crafts

Vendors sell embroidery, ceramics, honey, candles, jewellery and books. Vyshyvanka, the embroidered shirt, is the thing visitors most often go home with; the patterns are regional, and the vendors are usually happy to explain which is which.

Workshops run through the day, and children's activities have their own zone.

Planning the day at UAFest

UAFest — Ukrainian Fest Lanark County — is held at Riverside Park Beach, Lake Ave W, Carleton Place, Ontario, about 45 minutes west of Ottawa. The 2026 festival runs Sunday, September 13, from 12 PM to 6 PM.

The festival grew out of a community garage sale organised in Carleton Place in spring 2023 to support Ukrainian families displaced by the war. It drew over 1,000 people that first year, more than 3,000 in 2024 and over 4,000 in 2025.

• Bring a folding chair or a blanket — the field is grass, and the stage programme runs for hours.
• Cash is worth having for market stalls, though most vendors take cards.
• September by the river turns cool late in the afternoon; a layer helps.
• Check the parking page before you leave; the lot fills from noon.