IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — The 52nd annual Ukrainian Festival closed out on Sunday at St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church in Irondequoit, celebrating Ukrainian culture amid Russia’s invasion.

Beneath the surface of the celebration are stories of sacrifice and courage. Ukrainians at the festival say that now more than ever is a time when it’s important for them to remember – we are all Ukrainians.

“I had a friend who went home to continue her studies and visit her family in Mariupol. And she was caught there when the war first broke out,” Isabel Ament said.

For Ament, Ukraine’s war against Russia is more than a headline.

“It was the worst thing I’ve ever heard. It was like, she was 19 years old. She had a whole world, a whole life ahead of her,” Ament said.

After months of not hearing from her friend Maria, Ament found out she died in a bombing soon after the war began.

“For me this is a face and a name, but you know you might read a headline and you might see ‘three people killed in a bombing’ or ‘three people injured’ — but these are people’s lives,” Ament said.

It’s one reason why Ament says volunteering at the RocMaidan booth at this year’s Ukrainian Festival is so important to her.

“It’s so heartwarming to know that people are so engaged with the culture and with such a huge Ukrainian community here in Rochester, it’s great to see this outpouring of support,” Ament said.

Anne Wowkowych Kirkpatrick, a volunteer, says she has been coming to the festival since she was 10 years old.

“It’s important for us to show the world that we are peaceful people, we have our very own culture and we want to be recognized as such,” Kirkpatrick said.

The festival is a celebration of culture, standing together in solidarity and remembering those who are fighting for their freedom.

The first day comes amid a major offense by Ukraine in its war against Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country’s troops have taken ground and prisoners. The surprise push into the border region has rattled the Kremlin. Military analysts say it’s the largest attack on Russia since World War II.

“When you mess with the bull, you get the horns. If you want to go for all-out war, you have to be ready to receive that as well,” Ament said.

Ament says she is so proud of the community support and the turnout on the first day of the festival. The four-day Ukrainian Festival kicked off on Thursday and closes out at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

The festival is the church’s largest fundraiser. RocMaidan, a nonprofit based in Rochester that ships humanitarian aid to Ukraine, was at the festival. You can donate to RocMaidan here. You can see our coverage of the final day of the festival here:

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