From December 11 to January 14, the center of Lviv turns into a fairytale Christmas extravaganza.
It is during this time that the ancient Rynok Square and picturesque Svobody Avenue hospitably host the traditional Lviv Christmas Fair and generously treat and entertain their guests, who gather more than 1.400.000 per year.
Christmas Fair in Lviv is an annual event of national importance, which absorbed the best examples of European Christmas fairs in Vienna, London, Krakow with their thousand-year history and skillful combination with the rich authenticity of the Ukrainian people.
Christmas Fair is a cozy little town in the big legendary city, where Lviv citizens and guests of the cultural capital of Ukraine have an opportunity not only to have a good rest, tasting dishes and drinks of national cuisine to the cheerful Christmas tunes, but also to buy original gifts and souvenirs for themselves, their relatives and friends.
On the territory of the Fair are constantly operating:
— gastronomic sector with its unrivaled dishes of national cuisine, most of which are cooked right here, on the spot, on an open fire, attracting people from everywhere who want to try spicy mulled wine, fragrant homemade sausages and many other dishes, the mere sight and aroma of which arouses a great appetite
— souvenir sector, presents various products made of wood, glass, wool, leather, clay, metal and other natural materials in the performance of the best folk artisans of Ukraine. Knitted socks and gloves, straw lambs, crystal snakes and wooden crusts — this is a far incomplete list of the souvenir bazaar, which is in high demand among the visitors of the Fair
— «territory of Christmas mood» with its festive entertainment program for adults and children. Numerous concerts, a creche, kutya treats, making wishes under the beautiful Christmas tree and meeting with St. Nicholas himself — all this and much more are given to the guests of the Christmas Fair in Lviv as a gift.
A special appreciation and admiration among the visitors of the Fair was given to the celebration of Christmas, which is celebrated on the territory of the Fair in the best Ukrainian traditions.
Thus, on January 7, there was a presentation and treating with festive kutya. More than 1 ton (!) of kutya was distributed to visitors of the fair, which was a record-breaking event for Ukraine by its volume and unsurpassed taste!
While kutya was being prepared (and its preparation used not more, not less, but a whole ton of wheat, more than 120 liters of poppy, more than 80 kg of raisins with 76 kg of nuts and 60 liters of honey), the attendees were entertained by professional theatrical action of colorful creches and vocal carolers.
On January 8, on the main stage of the Christmas Fair in Lviv, the Festival of creches takes place, in which more than 40 Christmas theaters from all over Western Ukraine take part. Also, as part of another popular traditional Festival «Flash of the Christmas Star», stargazers from Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Stryi, Horodok, Sosnovka, Simferopol and other cities of Ukraine perform for the guests of the Fair.
The Christmas Fair in Lviv has become a traditional winter attraction not only for the city, but also in the context of the whole Ukraine, entering the tourist calendar of must-see events for all world travelers.