A major Ukrainian borscht festival in Warsaw was suddenly canceled: the organizers issued a statement
7 August 10:19
The Ukrainian charity festival Gremi Borsch Fest, scheduled for September 6 in Warsaw, will not take place. The organizers reported that after more than six months of searching for a suitable venue, they were unable to find a location to host the event. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing a statement from the Gremi Foundation on Facebook.
The foundation stated that the decision to cancel the festival was extremely difficult for the team. The Gremi Foundation said that they tried until the very last moment to save the festival and delayed announcing its cancellation, hoping to find a solution.
“We delayed this announcement until the very last moment, hoping that we would still be able to find a solution. Unfortunately, we are forced to announce that the Gremi Borsch Fest in Warsaw will not take place this time,” the statement reads.
Why the Gremi Borsch Fest in Warsaw Was Canceled
According to the organizers, the team spent more than half a year negotiating with both private venue owners and representatives of the Warsaw city government.
Eventually, a suitable venue was found, but after a preliminary agreement had been reached, the venue owner unexpectedly withdrew from the collaboration.
After that, the organizers reached out to other potential venues but, according to them, were also turned down.
As a result, it became impossible to hold the festival, which had been scheduled for September 6.
The Gremi Foundation emphasized that they do not attribute the situation to political reasons and do not wish to draw premature conclusions.
“We sincerely hope that this situation is not related to the growing tensions surrounding Ukrainians in Poland. We would very much like to believe that this is a coincidence,” the organizers noted.
The festival has been held in Poland since the start of the full-scale war
The Gremi Foundation noted that since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, charitable borscht festivals have been held regularly in various Polish cities.
According to the organizers:
- 32 festivals have taken place since 2022;
- the events took place in 14 Polish cities;
- during the festivals, charitable funds were raised to support Ukraine and humanitarian projects.
The Warsaw festival was set to be one of this year’s largest events.
Gremi Borsch Fest combines Ukrainian culture and charity
The Borsch Festival has become one of the most recognizable Ukrainian cultural events in Poland.
During these festivals, visitors are introduced to Ukrainian cuisine, traditions, music, and crafts, and they also participate in charity fundraisers to support Ukraine.
That is why the cancellation of the event in Poland’s capital came as a surprise to both the Ukrainian community and the festival’s partners.
Despite the cancellation of the festival in Warsaw, the foundation stated that it is not ceasing its activities. The Gremi Foundation reported that it is already working on new charitable projects to support Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
At this time, the organizers have not announced whether the festival will be rescheduled or held in another Polish city.
