The Syracuse Ukrainian Festival, hosted by St. John’s the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, returned after a two-year pandemic hiatus.

“This is fantastic for everyone because it shows what we as Ukrainians bring to the world,” Alex Firko said. “Our culture is special, it’s different and it is beautiful.”  

“I’m a member of the church,” Ukrainian Adriana Buniak said. “I used to go to the Ukrainian School that’s actually on the premise of where we’re having the festival right now. It’s great seeing everyone come here. It’s amazing. It’s always a great time. It’s my favorite weekend of the summer.” 

Alex is from Philadelphia, but he and Adriana, who is from Syracuse, have been friends since they were kids through Ukrainian organizations.

“[It is] definitely worth the drive up,” Firko said. “I did not expect to have a band here. This is awesome, singing along to songs we know.” 

“We have 19,300 pierogies,” said the director of the Ukrainian Festival, Nick Fruscello.

Fruscello has been the director of the festival for the past eight years.

“I’m a first-generation Ukrainian,” Fruscello said. “My mother and grandparents were all from Ukraine [and] settled here on Tippery Hill actually right on Tompkins Street. I’ve been a member of this church since I was actually christened here.”  

Fruscello says the area and church hold a special place in all their hearts.

“We have a humanitarian aid fund run right through the church that we’re collecting all throughout the festival this year so folks can donate to that,” Fruscello said. “Those proceeds go right to the Diocese to Ukraine where the needs most."