The sun was shining down on us at Serbian Fest 2018! Hosted at the Serbian Orthodox Church - the largest Serbian Orthodox church in Canada - the festival included a true display of Serbian talent. Serbia's culture and heritage was beautifully on display for all to enjoy in the form of authentic cuisine, traditional dances, and a large soccer tournament. Furthermore, the accomplishments of famous Serbian individuals - including Nikola Tesla and Mileva Einstein (a Serbian mathematician and Einstein's first wife) were on display inside the Church for the viewing pleasure of those in attendance (see images below!). 

 

The day began with a beautiful mass ceremony and concluded with the Sports Tournament Award ceremony with cultural dances occurring throughout the day. The soccer tournament included around 450 players from all over Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. There were around seventy games happening all weekend in the Serbian gardens located around the Calgary area. The tournament was hosted by the SD Serbia Soccer Club & Soccer Academy which is a non-profit organization dedicated to children's' development through practicing and playing soccer. The trophy which was awarded to the victors was in memory of the soccer player, Dragoljub Miljevic from former Yugoslavia who passed away at a young age. Despite his young age, his dedication and love for soccer did not go unnoticed.

 

The traditional dances which were performed all throughout the day invited over 130 dancers from different Canadian cities including Edmonton and Winnipeg. The growing Serbian community in Calgary was beyond proud of everyone who displayed their wonderful talent!

 

Finally, the funds that were raised went primarily to the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation and the non-perishable food items that were collected were donated to the Canada Food Bank for those in need. It was truly a wonderful way to give back to the community and as a way of saying thanks.

 

All in all, the event was a major success and it seems as though all 2 000 individuals (!) in attendance thoroughly enjoyed their time here! Thank you for having the Eagle Team in attendance and until next year!

 

Check out Eagle Street Team's next adventure - Picnic at the Piano with Kenna Burima on May 23rd, 2018 at noon. Bring a lunch and a blanket to Olde Towne Plaza, Okotoks for some great weather and some wonderful music!