5th annual Russian Maslenitsa celebration

The Cleveland Russian Cultural Garden hosted its 5th annual Maslenitsa celebration at the Rockefeller Greenhouse.

Maslenitsa has its origins in both pagan and Christian traditions. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a celebration of the imminent end of the winter. It has been compared to Mardi Gras or Carnival.
The event was also a fund-raiser put on by the Russian Cultural Garden committee. The Russian Cultural Gardens is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to promoting the Russian Heritage and Russian cultural influence in America. The Russian Cultural Garden has a prominent goal of building the Russian Cultural Garden as a part of the Cultural Gardens of Cleveland in the Rockefeller Park.

The event was full of music, games, shopping, auction and Russian food and drink.

Photos and videos of 2019 Russian Maslenitsa in Cleveland

Russian Maslenitsa 2018

The Cleveland Russian Cultural Garden hosted its 4th annual Maslenitsa celebration at the Rockefeller Greenhouse.

Maslenitsa has its origins in both pagan and Christian traditions. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a celebration of the imminent end of the winter. It has been compared to Mardi Gras or Carnival.
The event was also a fund-raiser put on by the Russian Cultural Garden committee.

The Russian Cultural Gardens is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to promoting the Russian Heritage and Russian cultural influence in America. The Russian Cultural Garden has a prominent goal of building the Russian Cultural Garden as a part of the Cultural Gardens of Cleveland in the Rockefeller Park. 

The event was full of music, games, shopping, auction and Russian food and drink.

Photos and videos of Maslenitsa 

Babushka Contest Entrant

Kostroma burned to end winter at Cleveland Maslenitsa

The Russian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, hosted their 2nd annual Maslenitsa celebration.  The 2016 event was at the Rockefeller Greenhouse indoors because of the weather.

The mascot of the celebration is a brightly dressed straw effigy of Maslenitsa, formerly known as Kostroma. Since it was inside the Greenhouse, instead of lighting Kostroma on fire, sparklers were attached.  A song was sung and children circled around it.  Bye Bye Winter.


More about Cleveland Russians

Kids Violin and acrobatics at Cleveland Maslenitsa

The Russian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, hosted their 2nd annual Maslenitsa celebration.  The 2016 event was at the Rockefeller Greenhouse indoors because of the weather.  A boy played violin and then young girls performed acrobatics.

Russians in Cleveland

Kids game in Russian at Cleveland Maslenitsa

The Russian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, hosted their 2nd annual Maslenitsa celebration.  The 2016 event was at the Rockefeller Greenhouse indoors because of the weather.  In this game kids could win candy by answering questions (in Russian).

More Maslenitsa and Russians in Cleveland

Cuyahoga Cossacks at Cleveland Russian Maslenitsa

The Russian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, hosted their 2nd annual Maslenitsa celebration.  The 2016 event was at the Rockefeller Greenhouse indoors because of the weather.

This is another song from the Greater Cleveland Russian Chorus, aka the Cuyahoga Cossacks, who strolled through the Greenhouse and sang traditional Russian folk songs.


Russians in Cleveland

Russian Chorus at Cleveland Russian Maslenitsa

The Russian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, hosted their 2nd annual Maslenitsa celebration.  The 2016 event was at the Rockefeller Greenhouse indoors because of the weather.
The Greater Cleveland Russian Chorus, aka the Cuyahoga Cossacks, strolled through the Greenhouse and sang traditional Russian folk songs.


See more from Cleveland's Russian community

Bliny contest at Cleveland Russian Maslenitsa

The Russian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, hosted their 2nd annual Maslenitsa celebration.  The 2016 event was at the Rockefeller Greenhouse indoors because of the weather.

 This is the best bliny (crepe) contest with judges Ken Kovach, Sheila Crawford, Debbie Hanson, Erika Puussaar and Bob Rotatori. http://www.clevelandpeople.com/groups/russian/russian.htm

Russian community in Cleveland

Babushka contest at Cleveland Russian Maslenitsa

The Russian Cultural Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, hosted their 2nd annual Maslenitsa celebration.  The 2016 event was at the Rockefeller Greenhouse indoors because of the weather.  This is some of the ladies in the babushka contest.


 Russians in Cleveland

Maslenitsa Snow Games

A Maslenitsa celebration always has snow games and the first annual Maslenitsa in the Cleveland Russian Cultural Garden was no exception. The snow and cold was not a problem for the event - it was a welcome necessity! Maslenitsa is celebrated outside in Russia so outdoor activities are expected and part of the fun.

A huge snow fort was built which led to snowball fights, sledding and Capture the Flag type games.

This game is called elephant (slon in Russian).

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A Winter Fashon Show - for babushkas!

At the first annual Maslenitsa event in the Russian Cultural Garden in Cleveland Ohio there was a babushka (scarf) fashion contest. About 8 ladies (and 1 man!) modeled their scarves and then a winner was selected by 3 judges.


Never heard the word Maslenitsa? Think of Mardi Gras, Carnival, Carnaval, Karneval . . . that's Maslenitsa by any other name. It's the party day before Lent begins in Russia.