Russian Herritage Fest Begins With Free Event In Asser Levy Park 6/7

The 7th annual RUSSIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL will kick off with a free event on Sunday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Asser Levy Park (corners of Ocean Parkway and Seabreeze Ave.) in Brooklyn. (Asser Levy Park is also known as Seaside Park.)

As it does each year with growing popularity, the Festival will feature a broad spectrum of music and dance performances by local Russian cultural groups, along with ethnic foods, carnival attractions for children, and exhibition booths displaying Russian arts and crafts.

A highlight of this year's RUSSIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL will be a performance by the wildly popular Russian pop music boy-band, CHELSEA, making a rare U.S. appearance. Formed in 2006, CHELSEA vaulted to fame as a finalist on the Russian equivalent of "American Idol."

Presented each year by the Russian American Foundation, the RUSSIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL is the only Russian festival of its kind in the U.S., celebrating the rich diversity of Russian culture and history in the New York City metropolitan area, which is home to 1 million Russian-speaking people.

That diversity of Russian culture and history is uniquely demonstrated at the RUSSIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL each year by youngsters from local dance groups who perform traditional dances from their parents' native lands on the Asser Levy Park stage: outfitted in traditional, colorful costumes, young people (ages pre-school to teenage) perform native dances from Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the Kavkaz Mountains.

In addition to the event on June 7th at Asser Levy Park, the RUSSIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL features a host of cultural, health-related, business and professional events throughout the month of June, attracting some 200,000 Russian-speaking people and their neighbors and friends.

Russian Heritage Festival is sponsored by the Russian American Foundation, and the City of New York, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. MaRina Kovalyov is co-founder and president of the Russian American Foundation; Rina Kirshner is co-founder and vice-president of the Foundation.

For more information about the June 7th Festival and all RUSSIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL events call 212 687 6118 ext. 202, or visit www.russianamericanfoundation.com