Nine years ago, Paul Ewasko was concerned his idea to hold a Malanka celebration would flop.
The Ukrainian New Year's celebration was strikingly absent from the area, and throwing a party is expensive. He soon found out, though, that his concerns were unfounded.
"We had to turn people away at the door," Mr. Ewasko, a volunteer with the Malanka Committee, said Friday. The tradition has continued ever since.
On Friday, more than 100 people packed the St. Vladimir Parish Center, at 428 N. Seventh Ave. in Scranton, to celebrate the new year.
In Ukraine, Malanka is traditionally held on Jan. 13 for the feast of St. Melania. In America, though, organizers need to accommodate the work schedules of local residents, so they pick the weekend before the official date.
The Rev. Myron Myronyuk, pastor of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Scranton, said the Malanka celebration in his native Ukraine is not as big as the one held in Scranton. After coming to America five years ago, he first lived in Philadelphia. Malanka there was small, but word reached his ears of a much larger celebration a few hours' drive north.
He became pastor of the Scranton church about five months ago, and Friday night was his chance to see if the rumors were true.
"When I was in Philadelphia, I heard this was something special," the Rev. Myronyuk said, adding that Friday night was the celebration he was anticipating.
The crowd took the opportunity to eat, drink and be merry. They were treated to cocktails, a buffet dinner of Ukrainian food, ethnic folk music, dancing and rock 'n' roll.
Olyphant resident Matthew Beckage, 77, said it was nice to get out and meet other people, especially those of Ukrainian heritage.
"This is my Malanka," Mr. Beckage said. "If I had a wish, it would be to go and see it in Ukraine."
Scranton resident Jim Pusateri, 60, was impressed with the spread. Since he grew up in an Italian household, he said he's been treated to some fine meals in his lifetime, but the food at Malanka has so impressed him that he's been coming for years.
"The food's almost as good as my grandmother's cooking," Mr. Pusateri said with a laugh.
Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, @jkohutTT on Twitter