The 35th Humoryna 2008, an annual festival of humor that is held every year on April 1 in Odesa, went off with flying colors. There were actors on stilts, children’s and adults’ orchestras, theatrical bandwagons, boxing matches on a ring floating between the hryvnia and the euro, the ever- popular “Village of Fools,” and many other attractions.
Fans of humor and satire began flocking to Derybasivska Street as early as 9 in the morning: they had saved places for themselves on Theater and Duma squares, where the festival of humor began an hour later. More than 400 writers, critics, and readers who took part in the celebrations walked from Lanzheronna Street to the Literature Museum to mix with the public.
Later the extravaganza covered Odesa’s entire cultural center, where many artistic companies performed on Theater Square. Heorhii Deliiev’s Mask Show joined the carnival column, where the whole humorous company sat on a huge cake nearly four meters high. After a while, the public welcomed their idols with thunderous applause on Kulykiv Field. Meanwhile, Greek Square was the venue of amusements that are typical of Odesa, such as children’s mini soccer and competitions for best dexterity and the best eye, and for some time the Potemkin Stairs were the gathering place for soccer fans.
As the festival was drawing to a close, a mysterious pipeline appeared on Duma Square. Out of the pipe, like from a cornucopia, balloons flew into the sky, inscribed with the words from Humoryna’s motto — “laughter,” “jokes,” “joy,” and “fun,” a sign that Odesa’s famous carnival of humor chalked up another success.
