This spring, Moscow will host its third citywide winter farewell festival, the "Moscow Maslenitsa." From March 1 to 10, the Russian capital will welcome spring with joyful singing and dancing, inventive street entertainment, captivating theatrical performances, and the mouthwatering aroma of pancakes. During this time every year, restaurants across Moscow pull out all the stops to attract visitors with their signature dishes, and this year they will offer more than 170 varieties of traditional Russian Maslenitsa "sun pancakes." The beautifully decorated festive square will host a variety of free masterclasses, tours, and exhibitions. The Maslenitsa festivities are part of the city’s street-level "Moscow Seasons" series.
Maslenitsa is a traditional East Slavic festival used to bid farewell to winter and usher in the long-awaited spring. The dates of Maslenitsa typically depend on the timing of Easter and last for a week. For centuries, during Maslenitsa, people have organized lively celebration parades, ridden sleds, watched street performances, decorated their homes, prepared Maslenitsa pancakes, and visited relatives and friends.
As always, this year’s "Moscow Maslenitsa" is a festival dedicated to spring, sunshine, and joy. Over the past few years, it has become immensely popular among both Muscovites and tourists, even earning the nickname "the Rio Carnival of Russia." Traditionally, the star of the festival is the Russian pancake, with countless varieties and flavors available. At the event venues, you can sample classic flavors such as sour cream pancakes, caviar pancakes, and honey pancakes, as well as try many innovative options like multicolored pancakes, Parmesan cheese pancakes, and Asian-style pancakes. Last year, the most popular pancake flavors at the carnival were "mustard shrimp," "hamburger," "teriyaki," "beetroot," "apple caramel," chocolate, and raspberry.
At the Maslenitsa event, you can not only eat pancakes but also learn how to make delicious ones. A cooking school will be open at the festival grounds, where you can discover how pancakes are made in different regions of Russia and abroad, prepare them using ancient or modern recipes, and cook other dishes as well. Last year, experienced chefs guided visitors in making apple pancakes, Guryev pancakes, Samara pancakes, potato fritters, pumpkin cinnamon fritters, and Ryazan pies, among other delights. The variety of foods on offer was truly astounding.
In addition to cooking masterclasses, the festival program also offers creative craft workshops. Here, both adults and children can learn to make various authentic folk handicrafts while discovering more fun facts about Russian culture. Don’t miss the opportunity to take part in making Maslenitsa dolls, a traditional activity that introduces you to Russia’s unique craftsmanship (for example, artisans will guide you in creating the traditional Maslenitsa Halymka doll). In previous festivals, visitors could not only watch leatherworkers, coppersmiths, potters, blacksmiths, and jewelry makers at work but also try their hand at these crafts and get an up-close look at various creative arts.
Throughout the week of Maslenitsa, there is no shortage of distinctive entertainment, but the highlight has to be the street theater. From ancient times to the present, watching performances has been an essential part of any festival. This spring, continuing a centuries-old tradition, Moscow has prepared an array of exciting street shows for visitors. Fun interactive performances, folk dances, colorful costume parades, and performances by folk music ensembles and popular Moscow bands are sure to dazzle and delight.
Spring arrives with the "Moscow Maslenitsa," but the cold hasn’t completely left the city streets yet. Therefore, taking part in outdoor sports and recreational activities is a great way to have fun and warm up. Shake off the “hibernation,” head to the festival grounds brimming with the cheerful spirit of spring, and join in tug-of-war, archery, and fun combat games—you’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable, joyful time in the Russian capital.
In 2018, a total of 4.75 million visitors attended the "Moscow Maslenitsa." Guests purchased and tasted over 250,000 pancakes and participated in more than 3,000 different entertainment activities.
"Moscow Seasons" is a series of large-scale citywide street events held in Russia’s capital throughout the changing seasons.
Winter’s "Christmas Journey," spring’s "Moscow Maslenitsa," "Easter Gift," and "Moscow Spring Acapella," summer’s "History and Times" and "Fruit and Flower Jam," and autumn’s "City Day" and "Golden Autumn" are all part of these street festivals. The Moscow Seasons project team organizes a wide range of concerts, theatrical performances, tours, exhibitions, masterclasses, and food programs during each themed festival.
For more information about the "Moscow Seasons" project, please visit the official website: https://moscowseasons.com/ru/