The first annual Kozak Night was the brainchild of the then President of the Kyiv Lions Club, Stuart McKenzie. Recognizing that there was a large gap in the Club's fundraising calendar, from Burns Night in February to the President's Gala Dinner in December, Stuart proposed a summer celebration of Ukrainian culture: Kozak Night.

The Kyiv Botanical Gardens served as a serene and beautiful venue for the evening's dining and entertainment program, which featured the performing Kozaks, traditional Ukrainian dance by the world-renown Virsky Dancers, and a spectacular fireworks display to cap off the evening. More than $25,000 was raised at the first annual Kozak Night. The evening's success placed it immediately and firmly as a permanent fixture on the Kyiv Lions Club fundraising calendar.