Festival Vitebsk

MEETINGS IN "CITY OF MASTERS", DANCE UNDER THE OPEN SKY AND OTHER PROMISES OF VITEBSK

Thousands of guests arrive in July in the city on the Dvina River to plunge into the festival atmosphere.

One of the most popular events with the Vitebsk residents and guests from all over the world at "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" for many years has been the "City of Masters" Crafts Fair which gives a unique opportunity not only to admire original hand-made masterpieces in the best traditions of national cultures, but also to buy articles and goods produced by folk art masters.

The "City of Masters" Fair is to open on the Freedom Square on 13 July. The craftsmen will get the "residence" on the Tolstoy, Pushkin, Zamkovaya streets for five days, until 17 July.

Over 300 masters are expected to gather in the festival Vitebsk: the members of the Belarusian Union of Folk Art Masters, the representatives of Belarusian regions and guests from Russia, Latvia and Ukraine.

– We have received confirmation to participate in the project from craftsmen from Kyiv, Ivano-Frankovsk, and Chernigov. Many representatives from the Russian cities of Lipetsk, Kursk, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan are expected to come, – said the Director of the Vitebsk Regional Methodical Folk Art Center Ekaterina Labuko. – Our masters will also work with courtyards that will present their regional brands. The past experience has showed how colorful and interesting everything looks, reminding of a small country village with a unique atmosphere.

Masters and creative teams are coming from Belarusian regions. On 14 July the Freedom Square will host a five-hour concert-presentation of the regions.

One of the wonderful traditions is the competition for the artisans. On 15-16 July near the Vitebsk Regional Methodical Folk Art Center (Lenin Street, 35A), a competition for wood carvers "Tree of Life" will be held. The competition is an exciting open event, where the lookers-on can observe the masters’ work. Applications for participation in the competition from 42 carvers from Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Belarusian Union of Folk Art Masters have been submitted.

There are initiatives to be implemented for the first time in the festival capital. Thus, on the opening day of the XXVI "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" the I International Festival-Competition of Majorettes and Drummers will be launched.

– We will gather 350 drummers, including distinguished ones, who have already taken part in other major projects. 50 participants from the Russian city of Velikie Luki and Estonia will join us. The action will start with the forming near the Summer Amphitheatre, and then the procession is to march along Lenin Street to Victory Square, where the competition is to take place in over ten nominations. The show promises to be beautiful and create a mood.

On 15 July Vitebsk will turn into a dancing city. The Freedom Square is to become the venue for the tournament of social dancing in the open air. Three times in a row it was held in Braslav, but the fourth time the organizers have decided to organize it at "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk". 72 pairs are eager to become the participants of such an unusual competition! The show makes no limits for the number of dancers wishing to take part as it is impossible to restrict a good holiday mood when people want to show skills or just to learn how to dance by taking master-class from those who are confident and make beautiful cross-cuts.

On 16 July the Freedom Square will host the festival-contest for theaters of fashions "Fashion Divertissement". Next day Vitebsk will support a healthy lifestyle. Here citizens can join the action-concert "Long Life!", and watch the contest of cultural organizers "Start with morning exercises every day" (Pushkin Street).

Kira Rekun