Russian Style Festival Coming This Weekend

This is an edited version of a press release from the City of West Hollywood.

Entertainment, music, food and family activities will be a part of the 11th Annual Russian Style Festival, presented by the City of West Hollywood and its Russian Advisory Board on Sunday, May 20 in at Plummer Park.

Other events celebrating Russian arts and culture will also take place around the City beginning on Friday, May 18. This event is a chance for not only West Hollywood residents, but those living in the greater Los Angeles area, to enjoy the rich cultural and ethnic flavor of this vibrant community.

The Russian Style Festival will kick off on Sunday, May 20 at 11 a.m. at Plummer Park. The day-long slate of events includes:

• The Royal Basketball School will present a Royal Basketball Players Game from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the basketball courts at Plummer Park. There will also be a basketball shooting contest with prizes. A DJ will provide music and entertainment.
• The Unity in Diversity Arts Foundation will present the Russian Style Festival’s Annual Children’s Concert from 1-3 p.m. on the Main Stage in Plummer Park. The concert will be hosted by Elizabeth Tomchina and David Shats. Dozens of performers from various schools and studios will be featured.
• The Russian Style Festival 7th Annual Community Awards Presentation will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the Main Stage at Plummer Park. The Los Angeles Association of Veterans of World War II will be honored with the Outstanding Community Service Award during the ceremony. The Role Model of the Year Award will be given to Lika Osipova and Sasha Rider, and the Outstanding Achievement Award will be given to Lev Volovik. Entertainment will be provided by the Russian Comedy Club L.A.
• The Russian Style Festival’s Annual Gala Concert will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Main Stage at Plummer Park. The concert will be hosted by Elena Levtchenko and Agassi Topchian. Featured performers will include Suzahnna Tepper, Gary Gold, Natalia Lapina, Fira Beck, Maya Segalis, Yakov Nakhman, Igor Serykh, Oleg Sweet, Alko and the Russian Souvenir dance-show group.

Other Russian Style Festival events include the WHOpera Group’s world premiere performance of The Apostle on Friday, May 18 at 6 p.m. at Fiesta Hall in Plummer Park. The Apostle is a one-act opera by Gamma Skupinsky based on Anton Chekhov’s The Black Monk” about creative people, their obsessions and their realities. There will be a concert performance with a virtual orchestra featuring Alan Laino, Coril Prochnow, Scott Kevin, Junju Dezaki and Risa Tadokoro, with choreography by Kana Miyamoto. Admission is free. For more information, please email thewhopera@gmail.com  or visit www.youtube.com/gammaxgamma  

The Unity in Diversity Arts Foundation will present “Tango Around the World” from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 19 in Plummer Park. This event will feature singers Eduard Khorovsky, Mariana Popzlateva, Lillia Teterina and composer Anthony Michaels. Dancers will include world-renowned Argentine tango dance master Sergei Tumas, Michelline Coonrod, Fred Lessantiz, Mona Lewis and Jose Espinosa as well as the West Hollywood Tango Class Studio “Dance Revolution.” “Tango Around the World” will be hosted by Stella Shenderovich and will feature an after-show master class. A $15 donation is suggested. Refreshments will be served. To RSVP and for more information, please call (818) 789-3114 or (323) 509-7229.

For additional information and Russian Style Festival sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tatiana Rodzinek at (323) 848-6826. For more information, please call (323) 848-6501 or go to www.weho.org/specialevents  For the deaf and hard of hearing, please call (323) 848-6496.