Odessa Christmas Festival, January 1-December 15

02.06.2016

Second Odessa Christmas Festival will last the whole month. It is the biggest Christmas festival in the entire history of independent Ukraine. More than 20 scenes will be mounted throughout the city from the main street Deribasovskaya to Gamow park. Theatrical performances for the entire family, various art workshops, and delicious Christmas treats will help you to plunge into the Christmas mood.

So what are the major events from December 15 to January 15? On Deribasovskaya street there will be installed the Nativity scene with living heroes and wooden angels. Last year over 30 thousand visitors saw a nativity scene with a live donkey, sheep and lambs. More than a hundred wishes had been hung on the tree of wishes. More than 5 thousand-displaced children and orphans received gifts, and more than 4 thousand children in need of special attention were invited to the biggest and most delicious open-air table in the framework of the project "Odessa-mama covers!" on the Primorsky boulevard. This year the festival will be even more ambitious. A new record must be held for the number of handmade dumplings. Last year "Rural bread" bakery presented a 200-pound treat. And the masters of Odessa People's Church made 3 thousand dumplings. More than 4 thousand children were invited to the biggest Christmas table in Odessa. Residents of Odessa will decorate the Christmas tree on Deribasovskaya. More than 250 Christmas decorations will be hung on the main Christmas tree. At the end these toys will be sold at an auction and all the proceeds will go to the needs of orphans, kids from low-income families and immigrant children.

In addition Santa Clauses and Snow will go for a bike ride. There will take place the Festival of pies and the Festival of Christmas carols. Children will receive gifts and tasty treats and see some of theater performances of Odessa cultural center. A copy of Bethlehem will be built directly in the City Garden. There would be the quarters for merchants, sages, shepherds and fishermen. There you will be able to taste 10 dishes of different nationalities living in the Odessa region. And if you want to make a wish, welcome to Santa's house!

Please note that some activities will be free and some for a fee.

Christmas Festival (Folk Christmas Fair) is the largest costume open air festival in Ukraine. According to media reports it ranks among the 5 top festivals of our country. In 2015 the festival was visited by over 35 000 people.

The organizers will hourly bring to the fair 300-500 children from the most distant corners of the Odessa region. The total number of invited kids with the right to receive a gift depends on the number of gifts collected by residents of Odessa. It is estimated that the festival may be visited by 10 000 children.