On the 24-th of August Ukraine celebrates its seventeenth Independence Day. The celebration in Kyiv is expected to be one of the most pompous and picturesque for the last several years. The President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushenko, has issued an edict about a military parade which will take place on the main street of Kyiv – Khreschatyk on August, 24. It’ll be the first parade of that kind in the latest 7 years.

Although there is ambivalent attitude among Ukrainians towards such a military show in the downtown of Kyiv, some enterprising Kyivers have already rented out their balconies looking at Khreschatik.

Besides the parade, the celebration program will include:
August, 20-22 – International Festival of Art “Embracing Ukraine” will take place at the Center of Cultural and Business Cooperation “the Ukrainian House”, 2, Khreschatik St.
August, 23 – Youth Relay-Race “Relay-Race of Independence” at Khreschatik Street and The All-Ukrainian Festival of Creative Families of National Minorities of Ukraine at the Kyiv Central Park.
August, 24 – The concert of the folklore bands of Kyiv and the 53^rd city exhibition of flowers and landscaping at the Pecherskiy Landscape Park, Yanvarskogo Vosstaniya St., metro station “Arsenalnaya”. In the evening at the Independence Square there will be a Concert of Ukrainian Pop Music and a firework.