Sorochyntsi Fair in Kyiv
On February 28, the National Expocenter of Ukraine hosted the famous Sorochyntsi Fair. The fair has been well known in the Poltava region since the times of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, but it is finally making its debut in Kyiv this year. This is this country’s only fair granted the official national status by a Presidential decree in 1999.
The fair has always been of a nationwide repute, with almost all Ukrainian regions and even some CIS commodity producers taking part. The Kyiv-based fair boasts participants from over 200 national businesses of different forms of ownership. The range of goods is so wide that you are bound to find something to your liking if you visit. By doing so, you will, incidentally, support national producers because for many of them this is by far the only opportunity to enter the Kyiv market and, hence, the whole Ukraine. For the second year in a row, the Expocenter of Ukraine, as the general distributor, and the Sorochyntsi Fair joint-stock company, as a co- founder, have organized the fair. To popularize the Sorochyntsi Fair, being held for the first time not only in Kyiv, but also in winter, its organizers tried to stage a true folklore cultural extravaganza. National costumes, songs, and an overall festive mood will acquaint the Kyivans who have never been to Velyki Sorochyntsi, the fair’s birthplace, with the culture and centuries-old traditions of fairs. From now on, Sorochyntsi traders will be coming here every winter.
Held spontaneously before 1998, the fair has been held on a commercial basis for the past two years. The Sorochyntsi traders “reaped a harvest” of 100,000 hryvnias on the four days of summer sales. However, the fair is still a loss-making affair. To change this situation, it was decided to hold a presentation- type fair in the capital. For, although the Sorochyntsi Fair brand name needs no publicity, it requires not so much funding (which would also be a good idea) as regular customers.
Prices in pavilions are quite moderate and a cut lower than in Kyiv on the average. This applies to meat and dairy products, hosiery, leather, and metal items. The fair also features such traditional articles as pictures by Ukrainian artists, earthenware, straw hats, and the famous embroidered shirts. The lovers of Gogolian mystical insinuations can behold Mr. Gogol himself in the flesh (played by a Poltava drama theater actor), who strolls without undue haste over the exhibition and has photos taken in the company of others.
