Jersey welcomes Kupala festival this month
This family-friendly event sees Ancient Slavic summer traditions meeting Jersey's coastline as part of Abundant Futures; a long-term project celebrating food, community, and cultural exchange
Saturday 19 July 2025 from 2pm to 7pm
ArtHouse Jersey's HQ at Grève de Lecq Barracks & the beach
Sponsored by Spoor & Fisher Jersey
Later this month ArtHouse Jersey will host Kupala Festival, bringing the warmth and wonder of traditional Slavic summer celebrations to the Island's stunning north coast as part of ArtHouse Jersey's ambitious Abundant Futures project, sponsored by Spoor & Fisher Jersey. Taking place on Saturday 19 July from 2 to 7pm at Grève de Lecq, this free, family-friendly festival promises an afternoon of creativity, craft, music, and food, against the backdrop of one of Jersey's most beautiful coastal settings.
Kupala Festival celebrates the abundance of summertime through ancient traditions that feel surprisingly fresh and relevant today. Curated by Ukrainian-born artist Olha Pryymak and forming a key part of Abundant Futures - a long-term socially engaged project led by Dana Olărescu - the festival brings together makers and performers from across Jersey's diverse community, including artists from Ukraine, Somalia, Portugal, Ireland, and Jersey itself.
The festival unfolds in two parts. From 2pm to 5pm at ArtHouse Jersey's Grève de Lecq Barracks, you can drop into hands-on craft workshops including traditional floral crown-making, wish doll crafting, and Mavka costume-making. There's also an immersive sound installation by dhaqan collective, a poetry workshop celebrating the Jersey Royal potato, talks, and a performance by the Lullaby Choir singing songs from around the Island.
As the sun begins to lower in the sky, at 5pm the celebration moves to the beach for the festival's closing ceremony. A procession leads participants down to the shore for a fire-lighting ritual, communal rope-making with William Bock, and a complimentary cup of warming Eastern European borscht.
Local food heroes Cocorico Jersey and The Ugly Oyster Seafood Bar will be serving throughout the afternoon, offering the freshest local seafood and refreshments – perfectly embodying the festival's celebration of food traditions and local abundance.
"At its heart, Kupala is about coming together to celebrate what we have and what connects us", explains Pryymak. "These are traditions that speak to something universal – the joy of making things with our hands, sharing food, singing together, and marking the turning of the seasons”. It's exactly what Abundant Futures is about – honouring the knowledge and wisdom that people bring from their homelands.
Abundant Futures is a groundbreaking project focusing on food justice and sustainable growing practices, amplifying insights and expertise within both migrant communities and native populations. By using food as a catalyst, the project honors diverse knowledge and skills that participants bring from their homelands, fostering new cultures and working to nourish future generations in the face of climate challenges.
"Kupala Festival perfectly captures what Abundant Futures is achieving", says ArtHouse Jersey Producer Robyn Cabaret. "It's art that brings people together, celebrates our Island's incredible diversity, and creates new traditions while honoring ancient ones. It shows how food, culture, and community are inseparable - and how much richer we all are when we share these traditions".
Matthew Costard, Managing Director of Spoor & Fisher Jersey, said: “We are delighted to support this creative and joyful celebration of our beautiful island, showcasing its unique cultural traditions and diversity”.
The festival requires no booking and welcomes everyone, from toddlers to grandparents. Visitors are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and their sense of adventure.
Abundant Futures is sponsored by Spoor & Fisher Jersey, reflecting the project's commitment to building sustainable, inclusive communities through cultural exchange and shared knowledge.
