Workshop Leaders
Kupalo Song and Ritual
participatory art and late night dj set
Italian Divination and Polyphony Singing
Permaculture PLanning
Honor the ancestors through Making Pomana (Memorial Bread)
Wildcrafting ETHICS & Experiences
RONA Kamfoly
Korovai - Traditional Ukrainian Wedding Bread
Folktronica Jam & Collaborative SOUnd ARt
Metis Jigging, Face-painting & DJ Set
Gary Edwards
Born in traditional Nēhiyawak (Cree) Terr. in Northern Saskatchewan, Gary Edwards is a Indian Residential School Survivor of 3 I.R.S. across the province.
In the late 80's, he began 4 decades of travelling that would cover 100+ countries & 4 continents. Playing throughout as DJ Sasquatch and founder of Poundmaker Soundsystem.
Gary has been creating stages & large scale, high-tension fabric art installations for many progressive global transformational festivals: HillTop (Goa, India), Boom (Portugal.), O.Z.O.R.A (Hungary), P.art.Y.(Ibiza, Spain), Gaia (Mt.Fuji, Japan.), LoveParade (Germany), RainBowSerpent(Australia), TheGathering(New Zealand), WaterWoman (Equador), Envision (Croatia), Ometeotl (Mexico), Tribal Gathering(UK/Panam), Symbiosis (California), OneNationEarthCamp (OregonEclipse 17), TexasEclipse '23(TX), MotionNotion(ALTA), Shambhala(BC), Connect(SK). Spanning 4 decades of music, magic & more, he has also been a cultural advisor within the unity consciousness, of the worldwide trance tribe.
Gary has been a guiding force for this festival and is bringing a super special solstice set to Saturday night festivities!
Myroslava of Edmonton, AB, is a multi-disciplinary folk artist. She grew up in Ukraine where she sang with the renowned folk group Rozhanytsia for 12 years before moving to Canada in 2018.
Recently, Myroslava founded Kolo Folk Studios, under the UPAS (Ukrainian Performing Arts Society) umbrella in Edmonton, where she and her colleagues lead ceremonies for traditional events for the community around the calendar year, including Andryivski Vechornytsi, Malanka, Kolodiy, Vesniani Tantsi (Spring dances), and Kupalo.
Her studio is called Berehynia Folk Arts Studio where she provides traditional Ukrainian Folk Art Workshops. She currently sings with the Ruta Ukrainian Folk Ensemble and runs the stage at the Heritage Festival in Edmonton.
Myroslava will lead us through the traditional Kupalo songs and rituals during the festival.
Myroslava Oksentiuk
Mario Morello
Mario Morello is a teacher, researcher, ethnomusicologist and singer based in Montreal and Toronto. He studies the performance practices of various traditional vocal polyphonies, particularly from Italy, Ukraine, and Georgia. Currently, he engages in ethnographic research projects focused on the Salento region of Italy, collecting and analyzing materials since 2015.
Mario is also involved with an eclectic variety of musical projects that focus on traditional polyphonic singing, including Ukrainian polyphony ensembles Kalendar and Mumurosi Choir, the Balkan troupe Meden Glas, Georgian ensembles Darbazi and Supra, the Ontario-based folk collectiveKosa Kolektiv, and the Toronto-based musical activism initiative Sing with Ukraine.
Italian polyphony - canti alla stisa, tarantismo
At Kupalofest, Mario will teach a series of polyphonic songs that come from the oral tradition repertory of canti alla stisa, from the Salento region in the deep south of Italy. These are acapella, multivoiced songs sung outdoors especially during agricultural work in warm months, which recount stories of love and loss, evoked within Salento’s landscape of olive groves, vineyards,and the sea.
Mario will also teach a polyphonic song related to healing rituals associated with the Midsummer from southern Italy. The Salento region is the origin point of tarantismo, the pre-Christian phenomenon of physical and emotional afflictions being attributed to the bite of a demonic spider, which would then be exorcized through dance. During the midsummer, this was a peak time of tarantism activity, with specific magic and ritual associated with Saint John’s and Saint Paul’s feast days. Some of Salento’s most ancient songs were believed to be part of tarantism and its ritual context of antiquity, which will be shared at Kupalofest.
Studio Besma
Studio Besma is a broom and textile studio exploring ritual, care, and connection to the natural world through handcraft.
Gather and learn a little about brooms and broom craft while sharing in the powerful ritual of making by hand. Brooms are rich with symbolism of cleansing, protection, and care. Craft a beautiful and functional handheld whisk broom in two styles.
*Broom making is a physical craft that requires upper body strength and the ability to use your feet. Some may appreciate wearing long sleeves, if you have sensitive skin.
Behind the love of craft is a relationship with material and process. Let crafting by hand connect you to all our ancestors, who have been in community with plants and animals by making, since the beginning of time. Let the using of handmade objects in our daily rituals bring the magic of that relationship into the everyday.
Note: This workshop is not included in the Full Festival Pass or Day Pass as there is limited capacity and extra material costs.
The workshop is $10 and can be purchased HERE!
Each person will take home their broom
Max capacity: 10 people
Joyce Hawryluk
Joyce Hawryluk of Dauphin, MB, learned to weave from Stan Andreychuk in 1997. The technique is called Inca Loom weaving. She uses pure wool threads and creates her own designs. A sash can take anywhere from 6 to 18 hours to make, depending on the width of the sash. This type of weave is more popular in Western Ukraine. A sash is an essential part of any Ukrainian traditional outfit.
During this workshop, each participant will make their own sash, approximately 1 1/2" thick and 3' long using a table loom. The sashes will be shorter and more narrow than a regular sash, due to time limitations and participant experience.
Note: This workshop is not included in the Full Festival Pass or Day Pass as there is limited capacity and extra material costs.
The workshop cost is $10 and can be purchased HERE!
Each person will take home their sash.
Max capacity: 5 people
Zorya Arrow
Zorya Arrow (she/they) is an artist of Ukrainian and British ancestry, working and living as a dance artist, recreation facilitator, actor, educator, auntie, gardener and clown on Treaty 1 Territory, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Throughout her 15 year career in the arts, Zorya has taught movement off and on, independently, at the University of Winnipeg Theatre and Film Department, and more recently, leading movement/exercise sessions for seniors, working as a therapeutic recreation facilitator. Zorya is a member of the Ukrainian folk arts group Steppe Kolektyv, and holds an honours degree in dance from the University of Winnipeg, in affiliation with The School of Contemporary Dancers Senior Professional Program.
Awakening Physical Sensation
How easy it is to go through the day without checking in with our bodies! This session will provide a container for you to start the day with tuning in with your body and promoting energy expansion and ease through a series of movement prompts initiating satisfying physical sensations that feel good for you!
Note: This session will be on the grass and a portion of it will be on laying and moving on the ground. If you want to bring a blanket or yoga mat to lay on please do, along with comfy clothes and a water bottle.
David Beer
David Beer is Metis and Ojibwe, and grew up harvesting various wild foods with his family.Caitlin grew up spending time in nature with her family, as well as working and studying horticulture at Olds College. Together, in 2018 they founded Wildland Foods, a western Manitoba based company, as a way to share the unique products they enjoy with others,They started out supplying restaurants and wholesalers before expanding to public sales in 2020.
Wildland Foods' products are harvested sustainably by our professional team of trained experts. After years of research and experience, we have formulated a system of harvesting, dehydrating and transporting our products in an environmentally sustainable way while preserving the flavours of the forest for your culinary adventures.
https://www.wildlandfoods.com/
https://www.instagram.com/wildlandfoods/
https://www.facebook.com/wildlandfoods
For his workshop Wildcrafting Ethics and Experiences, David will share some foraging experience and ethics during this discussion. He will talk about sustainable forging - what is myth and what is factual. And what types of environments you are likely to find some of the more popular mushrooms. David may also be equipped with some dried wild foods for sale!
Maarit tymshyshym
Maarit has a degree in Central and Eastern European Studies from the University of Manitoba and spent a decade traveling and studying around Europe. Maarit worked in the food & beverage industry for nearly two decades, cultivating a love for artisan cheese, natural wine and sustainable agriculture. She is a third-generation Ukrainian Canadian, and is currently working on her first cookbook, "Ukrainadian: Stories and Recipes from the Diaspora Table". When she's not cooking or reading books about cooking, you can find her in the woods, foraging for mushrooms and other wild things.
"Pomana is a Ukrainian ritual memorial bread baked for the commemoration of the passing of a loved one. In this workshop we will be crafting individual pomana: small, braided enriched egg breads which hold beeswax candles, lit to remember our loved ones who have gone before us. This is a beginner-friendly workshop, suitable for all experience levels."
Tim Engbrecht
Tim Engbrecht is a teacher, tree-planter, homesteader, Permaculture consultant, and founder of Parkland Permaculture, which has been meeting on the first Wednesday of every month since 2014.
For inquiries, email: parklandpermaculturemb@gmail.com
Session Title: Working towards perennial food security from a Permaculture-planning perspective
How to fast-track food forest establishment by strategically applying Permaculture design principles. From appropriate site selection and preparation, to contour-planning for passive irrigation, to propagating hardy pioneer-'survivor-species,' to setting up a small nursery space, this session is for anyone interested in rapidly increasing perennial food security on a budget, (OR simply in partnering with trees...!)
ATOM DZAMAn
Born from the traditions of medieval jesters, Atom resurrects the role with a modern twist, honoring the past while carving his own unique path. A jester, of course, was known not just for humor, but for versatility—juggling, magic, playing instruments, and performing tricks that kept the court entertained and the audience on their toes. Atom brings all of these elements to life with astonishing skill, but it’s his signature combination of juggling and dance that truly sets him apart.
Learn to Juggle!
A Hands-On Workshop with Atom the Grand Jester
Ready to toss, catch, and laugh your way into a brand-new skill? Join Atom the Grand Jester for a beginner-friendly juggling workshop open to all ages and abilities!
What You’ll Learn:
– How to juggle 3 balls, step by step
– Simple drills to build rhythm and confidence
– Tips for staying relaxed and having fun while you learn
– How to practice on your own and keep improving
No experience needed—just bring your hands and a sense of play. Juggling improves focus, coordination, and patience... but mostly, it’s just a great time. Come learn a classic skill from a modern master. Balls provided!
Dionne Jennings
Dionne Jennings is a Ukrainian Canadian Community Herbalist & Ukrainian Folk Arts Nerd. She is a founding member of the Winnipeg based folks arts group, Steppe Kolektyv.
Herbal Tea Blending
Let’s learn the fundamentals of herbal tea blending during the summer solstice! Kupalo (Ivan Kupala) was traditionally considered a very auspicious time to harvest herbs, and medicinal and ritual plants were considered to be of the highest potency when gathered on that day.
Together, we will learn:
The annual plant harvesting cycle for medicinal herbs
Some Kupalo herb harvesting traditions
Guidelines for harvesting plants during this season
The fundamentals of drying and storing herbs for teas
The difference between beverage tea blends and herbal infusions
Different categories of flavour, medicinal and energetic profiles for infusions
All participants will craft individual custom-blended herbal infusions. All materials included.
DAN Moroz
Dan has been an active member of Winnipeg's Circus and Acro Yoga Communities for almost a decade.
Dan hosts an Acro Yoga drop in every Wednesday at 8pm in Winnipeg with Prairie Circus arts.
Acro Yoga blends the balance and flow of yoga with the strength and connection of acrobatics. You’ll work with a partner to build trust, improve communication, and create dynamic lifts and poses—no experience or partner required, all ages welcome. It’s a playful, full-body workout that boosts flexibility, coordination, and confidence while keeping you laughing and moving.
Kat Ross
Kat Ross (Peepeekisis Cree Nation/Red River Métis) is an interdisciplinary artist and emerging dance practitioner reconnecting with Métis jigging traditions through movement, regalia creation, and community learning. She approaches the practice with humility, care, and deep personal significance, guided in part by the memory of her late grandfather — a champion Métis dancer and fiddler she never had the chance to meet.
Her work explores Métis dance as a living and evolving cultural practice shaped through layered histories, relationships, and adaptation across time.
For Kat, dance is not about mastery or performance, but about return — to rhythm, relationship, memory, and the quiet process of reconnecting with what has been carried, changed, lost, and found again.
Jigging Workshop
A beginner-friendly Métis jigging workshop focused on simple steps, group dances, rhythm, and having fun together. This workshop is accessibility-forward, welcoming, and open to all ages and experience levels — no dance background needed.
Face Painting
Kat is a professionally trained face painter with nearly two decades of experience painting at festivals, community events, and gatherings for all ages. Face painting will be offered by donation during Saturday night’s DJ sets, with funds raised supporting next year’s festival.
DJ
DJ Boo Boo Kitty Fox plays eclectic world house sets primarily featuring BIPOC producers and artists from around the world. Her sets focus on music created and carried by the communities it comes from, centering sounds and artists often flattened or overlooked within mainstream electronic music spaces. Expect rhythm-forward, playful, danceable energy shaped with care and intention.
Ben Batchelder
BEN BATCHELDER is a New York City-based musician, composer, playwright and music educator. Gig manager, performer and former musical director of Ukrainian Village Voices; performances include Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, American Music Producers’ Awards. Developed workshops with Marichka Marczyk, Nadia Tarnawsky, Iryna Voloshyna, Alina Kuzma and Benya Stewart.
Composition work includes original music for Radiolab, theme songs for podcasts Expat Horror Stories and The Bolt, and underscoring for New York City theatrical productions. Writer, director and producer of NYC theater. Led the Eastern European Folk Ensemble at Folk Camp Canada. Plays with various musical acts throughout New York City including Open Blue, the Newsreels, and Miriam’s Pickle Factory. Director, Jacqueline Hopkins Choir; Founder, Golden Ukrainian Folk Ensemble which has performed at Goldenfest and Bowery Electric; founder, Brooklyn Musical Theater Workshop.
“Flowers & Fire: A Collaborate Instrumental Sound Study”
Description:
What does weaving a garland of flowers sound like? Can music capture the feeling of jumping over a fire? In this workshop we’ll share stories of Kupalo festivals past, synthesize our feelings into simple musical motifs, and finally, perform semi-improvised underscoring for each stage of the Kupalo festivities in real time. All ages and instrumental abilities welcome.
