Maslenitsa Festival Week in Moscow
.jpg "Maslenitsa Festival Week in Moscow")
Maslenitsa Week, the last week before Great Lent, is one of the most joyful Slavic holidays, and this year it runs from March 11 to 17. If you are in Moscow, you have a chance to take part in various activities in different parts of the city. During the festival, you will be able to take part in master classes, watch fairy tale and choir performances, and try pancakes—the main attribute of this holiday.
Maslenitsa week is inextricably linked to old customs and traditions, some of which are still observed. Each day of the week has its own name and a set of rituals.
Monday—‘vstrecha’ (meeting). This is the day dedicated to visiting relatives, cooking pancakes (blini), which are traditionally served with sour cream, caviar or smoked salmon, and creating a large straw doll
Tuesday—‘zaigrish’ (playing). On the second day, traditional ‘smotrini’ took place where the grooms selected brides and tried to woo them, and families met each other to make wedding arrangements.
Wednesday —‘lakomka’ (enjoying food). The third day has a tradition of visiting mothers-in-law, who cook pancakes and other dishes for their sons-in-law.
Thursday—‘razgul’ (revelry). The beginning day of public folk festivities, including sledding and other winter activities.
Friday—Evening with mother-in-law. This time, mothers-in-law came to visit their sons-in-law to eat pancakes.
Saturday—Evening with sister-in-law. Another family day. Young wives invited their husbands' relatives to visit and demonstrated their culinary skills.
Sunday—Forgiving Sunday and farewell ceremony. The last day of Maslenitsa features a tradition in which people ask each other for forgiveness for all their mistakes. In the evening, people burn the straw doll and say goodbye to winter. They sing and jump over the fire. On Sunday night, the Great Lent starts.
Places in Moscow where You Can Celebrate Maslenitsa
Moscow Maslenitsa Festival is welcoming everyone willing to experience the unique atmosphere of the holiday, listen to modern hits performed on balalaika and gusli, enjoy a variety of workshops, performances, and cooking competitions, and taste the key specialty of the holiday—pancakes with various fillings.
Open Hours:
In the city centre: 11am-9pm
In residential areas:
Weekdays - 11am–8pm
Weekends - 11am–8pm
Costs: free entry
** The page is in Russian, but can be automatically translated to English
Many parks and estates in Moscow will host master classes and pancakes’ tastings on the weekend of March 16 and 17. For example, in Izmailovsky Park you can mint coins, dance in circles (horovod), and create a national Russian headdress—kokoshnik. Moreover, in the Kolomenskoye and Tsaritsyno reserves, you can take part in competitions and enjoy musical performances.
Address: Parks and estates
Costs: Free entry
Schedule: 16 and 17 March, time depends on the park you choose
* Detailed information about all activities in the parks
**Page is in Russian, but could be automatically translated to English
Maslenitsa Ice Show
From March 8 to 17, a series of Maslenitsa-themed ice shows will be held in the centre of Moscow. Artists will perform folk dances on ice. Among the participants will be famous figure skaters, such as Russian Olympic champion Adelina Sotnikova.
Address: Moscow Seasons site on Ploshchad Revolyutsii
Schedule of the events:
March 15 – 7pm
March 16 – 5pm and 7pm
March 17 – 5pm and 7pm
Cost: 100 roubles per person
*Tickets can only be purchased on the day of the show at the ‘Moscow Seasons’ site on Ploshchad Revolyutsii.
**Come early to buy your ticket.
See also: Maslenitsa scene from The Barber of Siberia, 1998 film by Nikita Mikhalkov
Text by Polina Safronova, Polina Sukhacheva and Olga Timofeeva, bachelor’s students of Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication, interns at the HSE University English website team