Happy Fair

For the children of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih employees and local families, the first day of summer kicked off with the Happy Fair — a special event organized by the company for kids and their parents.

Summer burst into life with music, laughter, and the cheerful hum of a bustling fair. Outside the Palace of Culture for Metallurgists, rows of makeshift stalls popped up, where young vendors proudly laid out their treasures.

This is the second time the event has taken place, thanks to the initiative of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih’s Corporate Communications team — and each year, more and more families are excited to join in.

At one of the tables, six-year-old Yeva bustled about with purpose, arranging her toys and handmade crafts. She had heard about the fair from her dad, Valerii Shevchuk, who works as a Head of Area of the Process Automation Department Service. Yeva brought her toys to sell, hoping to earn enough to visit a playroom and treat herself to a photo shoot — after all, she’s a student at a children’s modelling agency.

“This isn’t our first-time taking part in the fair,” says Valerii. “It’s a wonderful initiative. The fair for children is a space where kids can connect, have fun, and just be kids. These days, there aren’t many opportunities like this for them, so we’re really grateful to the organizers for making it happen.”

Our fair had all the charm of old-time festivities. Activity zones invited kids to test their agility, speed, and accuracy in hitting the marks — with fun prizes up for grabs. Inside the foyer, little ones got creative with colouring pages and decorating gingerbread. And as a special treat, everyone enjoyed watching cartoon on the big screen.

“Our husbands work at the plant, so they told us about the event,” say Olia and Maryna. “We came with our kids and headed straight for the gingerbread decorating table. It’s fun — and delicious they are! But on a more serious note, events like this are really important right now. Kids don’t get enough live interaction and active play. Here, everything’s in one place: games, fun, competitions, and even a chance to buy something cool — though that’s up to our little ones to decide.”

The Happy fair has long become a true family celebration — a day where everyone can find something special, soak in the joyful atmosphere, and spend quality time together in great spirits.

“We came with the whole family — it’s a great chance for all of us to relax and have fun,” says Aliona Kovalchuk, an employee at the Section Rolling Shop. “Just look at how focused our five-year-old Maksymko is, decorating his gingerbread with such care! After this, we’ll stroll through the fair — maybe pick up something else for the kids. It’s been a lovely event. It’s not just a fun day out for families, it’s also a great way for kids to get a little taste of economics. I mean, why let toys gather dust when you can offer them to someone else, earn a bit of money, and buy something new? But most importantly, in my opinion, it’s all about the joy — the games, the contests, the laughter, the conversations, and that warm, summery atmosphere. We loved it! We want more!”