According to the VDNH press service, on February 21-22, the project "Winter Country" concludes in Kyiv, and along with it, a vibrant celebration of Maslenitsa begins.
This year’s festival aims to promote Ukrainian folk customs. The goal of the event is to create a joyful atmosphere and fulfill an important educational mission: to introduce visitors to the ancient traditions that have shaped the cultural identity of our people for centuries.
The celebration program includes the recreation of traditional Maslenitsa rituals: making a wooden lock, singing spring songs, symbolically bidding farewell to winter, and welcoming spring.
Guests can look forward to performances by folklore groups and dance master classes. Additionally, food courts featuring Ukrainian dishes will be available, where everyone can taste traditional pancakes and dumplings with various fillings.
A special highlight of the festival will be the tradition of the wooden lock: unmarried men will humorously be given a wooden lock as a reminder of family values.
A separate part of the program will be a lecture from the project "Roots," where a talk titled "What is Maslenitsa" will be held with folklorist Daria Antsibore, along with a meeting with researcher of Ukrainian culinary culture Olena Braichenko, who will share insights on traditional dishes and customs associated with this period.
The ritual part of the program — the wooden lock ceremony for young people who have not managed to get married "in time" before Lent — will be conducted by Ukrainian singer and bandurist Bohdana Onopchuk, a researcher of authentic culture and a member of the folk song group "Bozhedari."
In honor of Maslenitsa, the VDNH area will transform into an ethno-space, decorated with bright ribbons, straw decorations, and thematic photo zones featuring Ukrainian symbols. Everyone will have the opportunity to take atmospheric photos for memories and immerse themselves in the authentic atmosphere of the folk celebration.
The culmination of the festival will be a spectacular ritual of burning the winter effigy — a symbolic farewell to the cold and a renewal of nature.
Everyone is invited to join, feel the warmth of folk traditions, and meet spring. Entry to the celebration is free.
We remind you that as part of the "Winter Country," there are about twenty thematic spaces on the VDNH territory with warm relaxation areas and shelters in case of air alerts.