The eighth edition of the Romanian Summer Festival was organized again this year by Ss. Constantine and Helen Romanian Orthodox Cathedral of Chicago. This time, the Festival took place in Greater Chicago area, at St. Paul Woods, Morton Grove, IL. The event began on Saturday morning, July 27th, with the service of the Divine Liturgy at Ss. Constantine and Helen Cathedral.
The program of the two days of the Festival included popular music, Folk dances, program performed by the children and youth of the Cathedral and other guests from the local Romanian Communities. Coming back after 5 years, the well-known singer of popular music Dinu Iancu Salajanu was the headliner. Other performers included Periniţa music group, Roxana Iacob, Monica Demeter, and other Chicago artists. Folk dances from different parts of Romania were presented by the ensembles Spicusorul, Miorița, Hora and Tara Oasului. The children of the Sunday School of the Cathedral also contributed to the good performance of the popular dance program by presenting the latest dances learned. The ladies from the Sunday School prepared other recreative activities for children (art and crafts). The Armonia Choir of girls from the Cathedral delighted us again with the interpretation of several pieces of traditional Romanian music.
Traditional food could not miss to complete a whole that had as purpose the popular tradition, closely linked to our ancestral creed, two values of our nation's identity. The volunteers at the Cathedral went over to prepare tasty dishes ... from langosi to skinless sausages, mămăligă cu brânză, goulash and barbecue.
With popular music and traditional food, the Romanian Summer Festival gathered a large number of admirers of our Romanian traditions. This was the greatest joy of the organizers, that everything that was prepared with much dedication was received with much warmth by the love of faith and the nation from which we draw our roots and from which we are so far geographically, but so close with the soul.
Mr. Tiberiu Trifan, General Consul of Romania to Chicago, and his wife participated into the event. Many thanks are due to all artists, sponsors, and volunteers. Through their love and dedication, this year Festival was again a success.
