Ivana Kupala

​🌿 Ivan Kupala Lounge-Style Celebration Plan
​Venue: Garden and Summer Terrace of the Ukrainian Community Centre, Bradford
Date: July 11, 2026
Time: 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
​🕒 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm | Opening, Craft Fair & Daytime Zones Start
​As the event begins, the location comes alive at a calm, welcoming pace. Guests arrive, find comfortable spots on the grass, and set up their relaxation areas with blankets and mats. A light ambient playlist sets the musical backdrop.
​🛍️ Kupala Craft Fair (Vendor Zone):
​Set up along the garden paths or on the terrace.
​Assortment: Sale of vyshyvankas (traditional embroidered shirts), modern ethno-wear, handmade jewelry, patriotic merchandise, beeswax candles, natural cosmetics, and homemade Kupala treats.
​🎨 Face & Body Art Zone (Aквагрим):
​Artists offer guests (both children and adults) aesthetic ethno-motifs, delicate floral patterns, gold and silver temporary tattoos, or fluorescent paint designs that will magically glow later in the dark.
​🔮 Kupala Predictions Corner:
​Opening of the ethno-divination zone featuring cards, runes, or an interactive "Magic Bag" filled with humorous and heartwarming Kupala prophecy notes.
​🕒 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm | Workshops & Creativity Time
​The most active creative phase of the day, where guests engage in traditional crafts in the shade of the garden.
​🌸 Main Workshop: Weaving Kupala Flower Crowns (Вінки):
​A large communal table in the garden filled with wildflowers, fragrant herbs, wheat ears, and ribbons. An invited craft master helps everyone create their own unique amulet crown.
​🧶 Candle Making Masterclass:
​Crafting traditional candles from beeswax sheets, which guests can either take home as a souvenir or use later in the evening for floating on the water.
​🕊️ Children's Workshop: Making Motanka Dolls or Straw Amulets:
​A peaceful creative activity for the youngest visitors, guided by the centre's volunteers.
​🕒 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm | Sunset: Entertainment, DJ Yarik Lounge Set & Food
​The sun begins to set, creating the perfect atmosphere (the "golden hour") for photo sessions. The first evening illumination and fairy lights turn on.
​🎧 Music Quiz by DJ Yarik:
​DJ Yarik begins his performance and hosts a light, fun interactive game straight from the DJ booth: "Guess the Ukrainian Hit by its Ethno-Sound." Guests relax on their blankets and guess modern remixes of well-known tracks to win symbolic prizes from the bar.
​💐 Playful Contest "Kupala Couturier":
​A light runway walk showcasing the freshly woven flower crowns. The host announces winners in fun categories such as “The Highest Skyscraper” (the most voluminous crown), “Miss Minimalism”, or “Kupala Avant-Garde”.
​🍹 Kupala Food Court & Bar Challenge:
​The bar actively serves themed cocktails ("Mavka's Mojito", "Char-Zillya / Magic Potion") and a large samovar with Carpathian herbal tea.
​Interactive "Be Your Own Molfar" Challenge: A 15-minute contest at the bar where volunteers try to mix their own summer elixir blindfolded, and the audience votes for the best recipe with applause.
​Food: Serving hot signature varenyky (dumplings), cheese platters, and juicy shashlyk (BBQ) fresh off the fire.
​🕒 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Magical Twilight: Fern Flower Hunt & Fire Circle
​As night falls, the centre's main artificial outdoor lights are turned off. The garden is illuminated only by hanging festoon bulb lights and candles in glass jars.
​🌿 "In Search of the Fern Flower" Quest:
​The grand hunt is announced. Guests search for hidden, glowing neon artificial fern flowers hidden throughout the garden. The lucky finder of the magical flower is ceremonially awarded the main prize of the evening (centre merch or a bar voucher).
​🔥 Lighting the Kupala Garden Fire Pits:
​Instead of a dangerous large bonfire, safe garden fire pits are lit. They provide a cozy crackle of firewood, warmth, and draw people together for storytelling and conversations.
​🍢 Marshmallow Party:
​Guests gather around the fire pits to roast marshmallows or sausages on skewers for free, chatting and singing along to the ambient electro-folk tracks.
​🕒 9:30 pm – 10:00 pm | Event Finale: Floating the Wreaths to Lounge Ethno-Beats
​The concluding, most soulful, and photogenic part of the Kupala night.
​🕯️ Ritual at the Kupala Mini-Pool:
​Everyone gathers around a specially designed mini-pool in the garden, beautifully decorated with floating lights. Guests light the candles on their flower crowns, gently lower them onto the water, and make a wish.
​✨ Final Lounge Accord:
​DJ Yarik wraps up the evening with the warmest downtempo melodies. The organizers thank everyone for coming, reminding them of the evening's main slogan: “Let’s make our Ukrainian community centre great again!”
​10:00 pm — Official closing of the event.
After party- disco in the hall