(KZN.RU, February 18). The celebration of Maslenitsa, the favorite holiday by many townspeople, was held today in Kazan near the Lebyazhie Lake. Several thousand Kazan gathered to have fun during the winter on the last day of the Maslenitsa week and to go skiing and tubing in the forest. Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, who came to Maslenitsa with his youngest son, and Sergey Mironov, the head of the Kirovsky and Moskovsky districts’ administration, became the guests of honor.
The head of the city congratulated the audience on the occasion. “Maslenitsa marks the end of winter. Winter doesn’t yet recede but the sun shines like in the spring”, said Ilsur Metshin. “We sincerely wish every family, every Kazan citizen sun in the heart, in the family, in life. Be happy and healthy!”
The entertainment program started at 10 am at the favorite recreation place for the citizens. Numerous zones for colorful photographs, games and fun, sports for children were located on the site. Residents of the city studied with interest the products of folk crafts, took part in numerous competitions.
Folklore ensembles and creative bands of the city performed on the main stage. Cheerful and fervent songs created a special mood and literally invited the guests of the holiday to start dancing. Ruddy pancakes, cooked according to old Russian recipes, and hot tea were in great demand this day. By tradition, Maslenitsa was ended by burning the Scarecrow to the song “Gori, gori yasno chtoby ne pogaslo” (Rus. “Burn bright”). The festive program was continued by the performance of the band “5sta Family”.
The celebration of Maslenitsa was held today at several venues. Celebratory programs for citizens were organized in the park “Kaleidoscope” on Sytrlanovaya Street and in the Gorkinsko-Ometevsky forest in addition to the forest park zone of the Lebyazhie Lake. Yesterday mass festivities took place in the ice town on Millennium Square, as well as in the houses of culture “Nagorny” and “Voznesenskoe”, in the park “Krylya Sovetov”, on the square near the house of culture in Mirny.