Saskatoon Folkfest to lose Ukrainian and Scottish pavilions this year

The Saskatoon Folkfest, a beloved summer event that showcases diverse global cultures, will see a reduced lineup this year as the Ukrainian and Scottish pavilions have announced they will not participate.

The festival, known for showcasing different cultures, will feel the absence of these two key pavilions.

Gerald Sorokan, the manager of the Ukrainian pavilion, highlighted the financial strain behind their decision.

"To put up a pavilion costs between $100,000 to $130,000 at Prairieland, which is really crazy. That's what it costs us. Yes, we are the biggest pavilion, but yes, we have the biggest expenses," Sorokan said.

The efforts to host a pavilion at the Folkfest are significant, requiring a large team of dedicated volunteers.

Paula Irvine, an organizer of the Folkfest, emphasized the impact of volunteering.

"The executive director has said to the board many times that if everyone that celebrated Folkfest volunteered for even just a couple of hours, we would be a much more fun place to be," said Irvine

Similarly, the Scottish pavilion also cited fatigue and a smaller association as reasons for their withdrawal this year.

"We're just a little tired, a little worn out from last year, and our association is smaller than previous years. So that's where we're seeing the hardest part in recruiting the volunteers to spread the workload and make it efficient for us," Jayna Munsen, an organizer for the Scottish pavilion said.

Both pavilion organizers encouraged the public to continue supporting the Folkfest despite their absence.

"Don't stop coming to Folkfest, I'd hate for this to disappear," Sorokan said.

The organizers assured that this withdrawal is temporary and they plan to return in 2025.

The community looks forward to their comeback, hoping that next year's Folkfest will once again feature the full spectrum of cultural pavilions.