The 48th Annual St. Cyril and Methodius Slavic Heritage Festival was held on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at the Knights of Columbus Hall on E. Whitney in Houston. The morning began with a traditional Slavic Mass honoring Sts. Cyril and Methodius. At noon, there was a welcoming ceremony for the Slavic Communities of Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic and Croatia along with the singing of the United States and each participating countries national anthems.
Entertainment followed by the Czech Heritage Singers, Our Lady Of Czestochowa Polish School Dancers, Polish Youth Dance Ensemble and Edward Winiarski. At 2 pm, there was a colorful procession of the Slavic costumes and flags led by the Knights of Columbus, followed by a presentation of the princesses and queen of the Slavic nations.
Ethnic group and commercial booths lined the festival hall. A great variety of Slavic food including Polish food from Polonia Restaurant was available as well as beer, wine and other drinks. Additional entertainment in the afternoon was provided by Zhuravli Ukrainian Dancers, Croatian Dancers and Houston International Dancers.
Below are a few photos of the fun and there is a slideshow of many more photos on page 2 and a slideshow of photos of the Slavic Fsetival Mass on page 3
Slideshow of Slavic Heritage Festival
Slideshow of Slavic Festival Mass
James Smock has always held an interest in his Polish ancestors and heritage. He is a native Houstonian with Polish roots in Bremond, Marlin and New Waverly, Texas.