This year’s United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) Macedonian Old New Year’s Masquerade Charity Ball – Vasilica Celebration held at The Manor House – Rock Creek in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, January 12, 2019 was a tremendous success.
Over 120 Macedonians and friends of Macedonia attended this 14th annual gathering, linking two Macedonian traditions, Orthodox New Year and the Vevchani Carnival, which has been taking place for over 1,500 years. Guests were dressed in black tie attire with Venetian masks.
This year’s Masquerade Ball was held in support of the United Macedonian Diaspora’s Internship and Scholarship Programs.
Masquerade Ball attendees came from near and far. From the local level of Washington, D.C. and surrounding area, to Detroit, Michigan, and even Toronto, Canada. Guests enjoyed hours of delicious Macedonian food, catered by From Scratch, Macedonian wine donated by Stobi and the Balkan Wine Project, Macedonian Rakija, and a mix of English, Macedonian, and international music hits, provided by DJ Bobby.
A couple of hours into the evening, the traditional Vasilica pogacha was broken by the guests, and the coin inside the bread was found by second-generation Macedonian-American Davia McCool. In Macedonian tradition, the person who finds the coin in the pogacha will have good luck in the new year.
Official photos of the evening were taken by Benjamin Zenker and can be found HERE.
UMD would like to thank our Ball Chair, Servcorp, for their support of this event, as well as their raffle prize donations of three three-month gift certificates for their luxury co-working spaces in the heart of Washington, D.C.
UMD would also like to thank Ball Host Committee Ljupka Arsova, Kristina Dimitrievski, Filip Jotevski, Angelina Maleska, Gordana Mirkoska, Stojan and Dusanka Trajkov, Katerina Trajkova, and Vera Zlidar.
Special thanks also goes to Nikolov Design, our media partner, Balkan Insider, and Baba Lounge and Ambar for the raffle prizes.
Save the Date for our 15th Annual Macedonian Masquerade Ball on Saturday, January 18, 2020.