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Ukrainian culture, food, music and traditions will be on display in Carleton Place next month as the Ukrainian Festival Lanark County 2026 returns to Riverside Park.
The Festival is set for Sunday, September 13th, from noon until 6 p.m. The free, family-friendly event is organized by the Ukrainian Community of Lanark County and brings together Ukrainian newcomers, Ukrainian-Canadians and residents from across Lanark County and the Ottawa Valley. Organizer Olga Ialovenko explains what visitors will experience
The festival will feature live Ukrainian music and dance, traditional food including varenyky and borscht, folk crafts, children’s activities, cultural exhibits and workshops. There will also be a Ukrainian market and tavern, along with opportunities to learn more about Ukrainian heritage and traditions.
The festival has grown significantly since it began in 2023, when it started with a garage sale organized to help Ukrainian families displaced by the war. Organizers say the event has evolved into an important way of bringing the Ukrainian and wider Lanark County communities together.
Organizers are expecting more than 5,000 people for this year’s event, following attendance of more than 4,000 in 2025. The festival is entirely volunteer-run. All the activities will take place in the section of the park west of the High School due to construction on the Town’s water plant.
There is also an international element this year, with Festival hosting the North American premiere of a 160-metre Ukrainian embroidered rushnyk, created by more than 120 embroiderers from 13 European countries. Lanark County residents will have an opportunity to contribute their own panel. Ialovenko explains the importance of having the rushnyk at the Festival.
Organizers say Festival is about more than celebrating Ukrainian culture—it is also about building connections and supporting Ukrainians affected by the ongoing war.
Hear our complete conversation with Ialovenko below and find all the details at facebook.com/UkrainianFestLanarkCounty.
Story by Brian Turner
