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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.