The Russian Heritage Festival held its “Taste of Russia” reception last night at the Manhattan Automobile Company. The threat of rain in the form of some menacing cloud cover did nothing to dampen the spirits of the invited guests and participants as the party was moved indoors. A grand time was had by all as attendees enjoyed samplings of various dishes and beverages from Russian (and other former USSR countries) restaurants throughout the city. The venue was alive with the sounds of music as well as the pitter patter of many traditional Russian dancers, all invited to showcase their talents and share their culture with the world, or at the very least NYC.
The Russian Heritage festival has an 8-year history in New York and is a full month-long celebration of art exhibits, performances, lectures and various street festivals throughout the city. It started as a week long celebration, and eventually blossomed into a month long extravaganza. As the 3rd largest ethnic group in New York, Russians have the support of their ever expanding communities as well as the mayors office, in creating a fun and informative festival highlighting the contributions they have made to the city.
We were fortunate to have been able to attend the reception which also served as a welcoming ceremony for International Dignitaries, community leaders, public officials, and sponsors of the Russian American Foundation. Attendees were treated to the sounds of “Moscow Folks” a trio of performers who specialize in traditional Russian folk songs as well as instruments. Their powerful voices filled the space easily, and with respect to keeping things authentic, their performance was mostly acapella and sans microphone. That in itself is an honorable feat for any seasoned performer. Our great luck didn’t end there, we were also introduced to Russian Fashion Designer Lidia Amirova. Lidia is a graduate of FIT and has had her work featured on “America’s Next Top Model”. Attending the event with her were 2 statuesque models draped in her latest creations. We were truly impressed by the her dedication to creating wearable art pieces. Her workmanship and creativity combined created truly original breathtaking ensembles.
Though often overlooked the contributions made by Russian entertainers, entrepreneurs and artists is hard to ignore. Making up a broad section of one of the largest cities in the world, their mark is ever present and solidifies NYC’s position as the great “melting pot”. We are ever grateful for having had a “Taste of Russia” and are thrilled we only needed a MetroCard to do it.
Photos by Candita Robertson for John Simon Daily
