The Russian Center in San Franciso (national headquarters of Congress of Russian Americans) came alive on Saturday, December 9, when the Slavic Holiday Fair, organized by their new Operations Manager, Sasha Sabelnik-Whooley was held there. These holiday bazaars were held for several years, but were discontinued some 10 years ago, and not revived following the pandemic. It seemed like an excellent idea to resurrect this holiday pre-Christmas fair and once-again bring the Russian-American community together.
Non-profit organizations like Congress of Russian Americans, Russian-America Women’s League, Museum of Russian Culture SF, St. John’s Academy, Russian School of All Russian Saints Church in Burlingame, All Cossack’s Union of SF, Holy Virgin Cathedral Choir, the Russian River church of Our Lady of Kazan and Russian American Community Services, as well as some commercial vendors sold food (including borscht and cabbage, meat & mushroom piroshki), a wide assortment of desserts and gifts, including jewelry, books, candles, plants, collectibles and other gifts. St. John’s Academy hosted a table with face-painting, Teremok Childcare at Russian Center had a toss challenge for gifts, Congress of Russian Americans, in addition to their table selling books and DVDs, organized a game table with miscellaneous gifts, including books, stuffed animals, games, dolls, cars and other prizes in an “everyone wins” lottery. The Cossack Santa was available for a special photo against a winter background with a selection of authentic Russian costumes to wear in the photo.
The program of children’s performances was most delightful where small children from Teremok recited poetry, sang songs and danced with Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) and the Snow Maiden (Snegurochka). In addition to Nino’s Rhythmic gymnastics performances, Russian dance by Lucas Klestoff, boyar dance by Olga Prokoshina, Bulgarian dancers, as well as musicians and dancers of Vladimir Riazantseff dance group, children from Sts. Cyril & Methodius High School also sang and recited poetry in Russian, and other performances as well as piano, Ded Moroz and Snegurochka danced several circle dances (horovod) with the children and parents. CRA also sponsored the food and drinks for the children performers.
Sasha, who was not only the organizer of the entire event and MC of the performances, entertained everyone throughout the day in her holiday costume and festive mood, setting the tone for the upcoming holidays of Christmas and New Year, as well as the good news of the possibility of the revival of the annual Russian Festival to be held on March 1, 2 and 3, 2024, once again at the Russian Center SF.
