Edmonton's Ukrainian Diaspora Honors Kupala Night With Traditional Festivities

EDMONTON, CANADA JUNE 29: Participants jump over tree branches, an adaptation since open fires are prohibited in Edmonton, while members of Edmonton's Ukrainian community and their friends gather for Kupala Night celebrations, organized by the Ukrainian National Youth Federation (UNYF), at Victoria Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on June 29, 2025. Kupala Night is a centuries-old Slavic folk celebration of the summer solstice that blends pagan and Christian traditions. Celebrated in Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Bulgaria, and Slovakia, it features rituals such as bonfire jumping, water ceremonies, and the symbolic search for the mythical fern flower. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)