The festival, called in Russian Festival Russkoi Skazi, was organized by the town's local tourist board with help from the Culture Ministry and the Education Ministry.
Billed as a celebration of the Russian fairy tale for both children and adults, the festival is intended to draw attention to Russian folklore, as well as to renew interest in the traditional kind of holiday merrymaking known as "narodnoye gulaniye," or people's revelry, which generally involves outdoor games, contests, eating and drinking -- all of which are present in healthy quantities on the festival's program.
The theme of last February's festival, the first ever, was "fairy tales and the theater." This year's theme is "stories and the cinema." Accordingly, the program includes several screenings of films based on popular fairy tales.
Festival speakers include poet Sergei Mikhalkov, actor/director Oleg Tabakov and actors Valentin Gaft, Irina Muravyeva and Mikhail Boyarsky.
The remainder of the celebrity guest list features personalities from the world of make-believe, including Baba Yaga, a child-eating witch-like villain who lives in a house that stands on chicken legs; Yemelya, a lazy imbecile who made his reputation lying around on his cabin's stove all day to keep warm; and Kashei Bessmertny, a villainous old man known for his miserliness and cruelty.
In addition to talks by its headliner guests, the festival's program also includes plenty of the narodnoye gulaniye it champions. For example, the Golden Ring town's own storybook-like streets will be lined with vendor's stands selling traditional refreshments like pirogi (pies stuffed with meat, cabbage or potatoes), bubliki (sweet, ring-shaped rolls), pryaniki (soft, gingerbread-like cookies) and medovukha (honey liquor).
In addition to the food, expect horseback riding, cockfights, competitions for the best fairy-tale-character costume and several athletic events, including a snowball battle, a weightlifting contest and a barrel-rolling tournament.
The festival begins Friday afternoon and ends Sunday afternoon. Suzdal is easily accessible by elektrichka, or commuter train, from Moscow's Kursky Station. Take the train to Vladimir. From there, it's a 30-kilometer bus ride to Suzdal. The entire journey takes about three hours. If you're traveling by car, take the M7 to the Suzdal exit.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.