Annual Armenian festival set for August 24 at New Britain church
NEW BRITAIN, Conn.—The Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection will hold its annual festival on Sunday, August 24, from noon to 5:00 p.m. on the church grounds at 1910 Stanley Street in New Britain.
The festival is open to the public with free admission and will be held rain or shine.
Each year, the event draws a large number of Armenians and non-Armenians alike, many of whom stay the whole afternoon or just drop in for a taste of the food, music and activities.
Freshly prepared Armenian dishes—such as shish kebab, rice pilaf, Armenian losh burgers and kheyma—are among the highlights of the event, along with a variety of other Middle Eastern foods. A particular crowd favorite is the bake sale, which features an extensive assortment of Armenian pastries and other delicacies.
The festival will also have raffle prizes, corn hole and other games as well as a marketplace with Armenian vendors offering a wide variety of Armenian goods, wares, books and CDs.
The event is the result of months of tireless planning by the festival committee and many dedicated members of the congregation, both young and old. It has been a longstanding tradition in the New Britain community for many decades.
Members of the church gather each year with Armenian Americans from across the state—as well as the broader local community—to enjoy an afternoon of food, dance and good company.
Sharon Sherwood, this year’s chairperson of the festival, urged all in the local community and beyond to “please join us on August 24 and become part of our family for a day through Armenian food, music, dance and legendary New Britain Armenian hospitality.” She also expressed gratitude to all who worked on the planning and execution of the event.
The festival has been held in various venues during the church’s 84-year history, including on once-active Armenian-run farms in the area, but has been especially successful in recent years on the Stanley Street church grounds.
A centerpiece of the festival is always the live Armenian band. This year’s entertainment will be provided by the popular Harry Bedrossian Ensemble, featuring Harry Bedrossian on oud and vocals, Mike Kassabian on clarinet, Kevin Magarian on guitar and Gary Hovhanessian on dumbeg. Some attendees enjoy the music in the background, while others spontaneously join in song and traditional Armenian dance.
The afternoon presents an opportunity for wholesome entertainment and camaraderie for individuals, couples, families and groups.
“Our annual Armenian festival is truly one of the major highlights of our parish calendar,” said Father Haroutiun Sabounjian, pastor of the church. “I am deeply appreciative of the dedication of our volunteers who take their family traditions passed down from generations before and share this Armenian cultural heritage with the wider New Britain community.”
For further information, call the church at (860) 223-7875.
