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Ryan Jackson photo
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Garden
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Ryan Jackson photo
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Grain elevator
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Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Grain elevator
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Ryan Jackson photo
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Harvest stooking
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Ryan Jackson photo
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Baking
Story by David Makowsky - Photos courtesy the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
History is brought to life at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, an outdoor living history museum that tells the Ukrainian settlement story in east central Alberta. Located only 25 minutes east of Edmonton, visitors are invited to travel back in time to the years 1892-1930 and experience life in east central Alberta, home to the oldest, and at one-time largest, settlement of Ukrainian pioneers in Canada.
Historic role-players dressed in period costumes and speaking with immigrant accents, help bring history to life by illustrating authentic pioneer, cultural and agricultural experiences of the region’s earliest settlers. If you want to see the littlest house on the prairie, step inside a sod house (burdei) to experience how the earliest Ukrainian pioneers lived when they first arrived in the region more than 120 years ago. Learn how pioneers transformed a 160 acre homestead into a farm, receive a school lesson from a teacher in a one-room school, or hear the latest grain prices in a fully-functioning grain elevator. There are more than 30 historic buildings to explore, traditional Ukrainian food to sample, and local artwork and treats in the museum store.
As a value-added service to our visitors, the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village offers one hour long introductory guided tours. These tours provide background information on this open-air museum and the history and culture it presents. Groups will be introduced to the first-person style of interpretation and will be able to continue their visit to the museum after their time with the tour guide ends. Introductory group tours are not offered on our special event days, or on Wednesdays in July and August. Tours depart the Visitor Reception Centre beginning any hour from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. Space is limited.
Providing fun for family members of all ages, special event days provide additional activities and entertainment to enhance your visit to this living history museum:
- Celebration of Dance – Monday, May 19, 10am-5pm: This event offers one of Alberta’s largest Ukrainian dance extravaganzas featuring a variety of dance groups of all ages from across Alberta. Throughout the day costumed role players will welcome the new spring season with authentic sights and celebrations in the historical village. Other family friendly activities include a village market, musical entertainment, horse-drawn wagon rides, sheep shearing, church services, exhibitors and traditional Ukrainian food.
- Vintage Day – Sunday, June 29, 10am-5 pm: Revel in a spectacular display of historic and specialized vehicles. This fun day includes children's activities, wagon rides, exhibits, entertainers, historic activities, traditional Ukrainian food and a Village Market.
- Ukrainian Day – Sunday, August 10, 9am-5pm: A celebration of all things Ukrainian past and present, Ukrainian Day recognizes the rich tapestry of Alberta’s Ukrainian community today. This event is co-hosted by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Alberta Provincial Council. The day starts with a pancake breakfast, and recognition of east central Alberta’s centennial pioneer families. During the afternoon enjoy the ever popular Ukrainian Day concert, Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts’ showcase and art sale, village market, children’s activities and Ukrainian Village food festival.
- Friends' Ukrainian Music Fest – Sunday, August 24, 10am-5pm: Celebrate traditional and contemporary Ukrainian and Ukrainian-Canadian music with a live concert featuring the region’s most popular bands and singers. The 8th annual Kalyna Idol competition will also provide a glimpse to tomorrow’s stars. Music workshops, historic music performances, authentic historic activities, a village market and children’s activities complete this entertaining day for all the family.
- Harvest of the Past & Taste of Heritage Food Fest – Sunday, September 7, 9am-5pm: Taking visitors back to Alberta’s agricultural roots, this final event of the Village's summer season recreates an old-fashioned threshing bee complete with vintage farm equipment and grain deliveries to the historic elevator. Other historical activities include flower and herb drying, feather stripping, grinding wheat, quilting, and canning produce from the museum’s heritage gardens. The Harvest Food Festival offers a unique culinary experience for visitors to taste foods from the region.
The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is one of 18 provincial historic sites, museums and interpretive centers operated by Alberta Culture. It is located 25 minutes or 50 km (30 miles) east of Edmonton on Highway 16, just 3 km (1.8 miles) east of Elk Island National Park.
The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is open daily from May 17 - Sept. 1, 10am-5pm.
Travel Tip: Admission is charged but if you show your current Experience Alberta's History Pass or Friends of the Ukrainian Village Society membership card, you get in free.
For more information call (780) 662-3640 or visit www.ukrainianvillage.ca