In the winter, folks gather to practice songs and old crafts, to prepare for the winter holiday season of Koliada, a highlight of the year when the Kosa Koliadnyky (carollers) fervently carry the torch of ancient customs into countless people’s homes and hearts. The carollers bring songs, blessings, and raucous life-giving joy with their vibrant masks and handcrafted costumes, collecting money and enacting the ancient hospitality rituals.

The community gathers to celebrate the New Year together, with Melanka: Ukrainian Old New Year’s, a night of feasting and pageantry, mummery and mayhem—collective joy.

Coming towards springtime, Kosa singers practice the ancient custom of calling in spring, with ritual spring songs -vesnianky, and later, lead Hailky communal spring rites to welcome in spring outdoors, with ritual dances in the park.

Pysanky making continues to play a huge role for the collective; the original members all led pysanky workshops to fundraise for charitable causes in Ukraine, and spread the message of light and hope every spring. Our organization provides pysanka education through workshops and distributes supplies across Ontario and beyond.

In the early summer, singers get together to perform the ancient summer ritual songs for Zeleni Svyata (Green Holidays) and Kupalo (solstice). Planting and garden tending happens at the site of Folk Camp, where in late summer the community gathers for a week of workshops and culture building: Folk Camp!, culminating in a harvest feast and zabava (folk dance party).

We also co-host a summer scything skillshare gathering with the Ontario Land Skills Network !

The autumn is characterized by participation in festivals and parades, singing at weddings and hosting workshops in the city.