JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This weekend, Jacksonville’s Ukrainian community came together for the Ukrainian Art Festival, marking Ukraine’s Independence Day and contemplating the persistent war at home.

The festival united families, performers, and local visitors in a cultural celebration featuring Ukrainian music, dances, traditional arts, and food.

According to organizers, the festival serves as a platform to share their heritage with the greater Jacksonville area, especially at a time when global concern is centered on the situation in Ukraine.

President Trump suggested Ukraine should go on the offensive — questioning why Kyiv isn’t striking deeper into Russia.

“But in the meantime, they continue to fight and they continue to kill people which is very stupid,” President Trump said.

In the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Moscow for hindering peace talks and continuing “massive attacks” on civilians, underlining the ongoing toll of the conflict.

For those attending the local festival, these issues are intensely personal. Many in Jacksonville’s Ukrainian community have loved ones in Ukraine, causing each news update to resonate closely.

Beyond the headlines, organizers stressed that the festival is about more than politics—it is about sharing Ukrainian culture and traditions.

“There is controversy right now surrounding Ukraine, of course as you know because of the war, and we just want to show that Ukrainian people are kind and welcoming and have a very beautiful culture and cuisine and just who we are as people and we wanted everybody to see that and what a perfect way to do it,” Tetyana Boyevea said, Organizer of Ukraine Festival JAX.

Attendees expressed pride in their culture and gratitude that events like the Ukrainian Art Festival allow them to keep their heritage alive, even as the situation in their home country remains uncertain.

Organizers said the festival also serves as a reminder of the global responsibility to support Ukraine and its citizens, combining cultural celebration with advocacy for peace.