Winter Farewell in the Pancake Capital of Russia
Yalutorovsk is known as the Pancake Capital of Russia — it is the only place where Winter Farewell pancakes are cooked on three‑meter‑wide pans! This year’s celebration in the historic town was packed with tradition and joy: locals and tourists enjoyed a festive parade, a pancake maker battle, and a big concert program, plus plenty of games and folk fun.
The “Art‑Voyage” Cultural Center pulled off a large‑scale event at the highest level: around 20,000 people visited Sretenskaya Square this Sunday.
Sretenskaya Square
From early morning, Sretenskaya Square is decked out for the Winter Farewell
Everything here gives a spring-like feel, even without the sun
Russia’s largest forged copper samovar stands ready to treat guests to tea
The fire is already being lit for the unusual culinary showdown — the pancake maker battle
Freshly baked pancakes with fillings will be in high demand all day long
The square will host the main festival program, but it all kicks off on the central street!
Pancake Race
By 11 AM, participants of the “Pancake, Run!” race are gathering
The competition is a relay race for men’s, women’s, and family teams
Bringing along your pet for the race is welcome
The first athletes have taken off — and they’ve got plenty of cheering supporters
By the way, runners must keep the pancake from falling off the pan while racing
The host and judges are encouraging the participants
For some, the main goal is victory and prizes…
…while for others, it’s all about taking part and having a great time
No matter what, every single finisher gets a medal
Procession
After the race, the townspeople get ready for the procession
The festive program includes a contest for the best Winter Farewell costume
The beauties of Yalutorovsk look like they’ve stepped right out of Russian paintings
The column forms at the intersection of Lenin and Sverdlov Streets
There’s a moment before the start to share impressions of the festivities
The vintage‑style hat and caftan suit some people perfectly
The little ones get a bit tired during the long preparations
The older kids are energetic and full of enthusiasm
The schoolchildren love the fairytale atmosphere they’ve found themselves in and happily pose for the press
The star of the procession is the Pancake King on his throne
Everyone wants a photo with him and his jesters
No one can tell the journalists about the festival better than they can!
And here are the artists who are used to looking down on everyone
These are the stilt walkers from Tyumen’s “Chudeystvo” Theatre — they’ll be the highlight of the column
Their mission is to spread joy, and they do it brilliantly
At noon, the Maslenitsa procession sets off
The orchestra sets the rhythm: they have no more than 15 minutes to play the best spring melodies
The group will cover about 800 meters at a brisk pace
The symbols of the holiday are simple, recognizable, folksy, and beloved
The delegations from twin cities stand out in the column — guests from Gubkinsky
And these are representatives from Nyagan: they will take part in the pancake maker battle
Perhaps the Pancake King and his retinue cover the route with the most comfort
Still, walking along the main street in good company is a pleasure too
Townspeople watch the cheerful procession with curiosity
After a quarter of an hour, the performers and costumed characters finish the route
Inspired by the warm welcome, the Gubkinsky guests want to tell everyone about their northern town
Undoubtedly, everyone in the column got a boost of energy for a vibrant welcome of spring
Following the procession, thousands of festival guests head to Sretenskaya Square
Street vendors are busy trading: prices are symbolic, and the goods are all themed
The crowd adores the stilt walkers, and they return the affection wholeheartedly
The elegant effigy near the stage marks the final point of the route
To a lively tune, the jesters greet the gathered crowd
A three‑hour festive creative marathon begins!
Three‑Meter Pancakes
The highlight of the program: baking pancakes on pans with a 3‑meter diameter
The teams plan their batter recipes and flavor boosters well in advance
Technology helps them gauge how hot the metal surface is
A team from Tyumen represents an Eastern cuisine restaurant
These moments perfectly bring the saying “Straight from the heat” to life
There’s no time to waste: the batter must be spread into an even layer
After a few minutes, they take a control temperature reading
Now it’s time to flip the pancake to the other side!
That calls for huge rolling pins and… a good dose of skill
Not every pancake of this size can be wrapped perfectly around the pin
Since 2007, the pancake has been turned without damage only once
The pancake makers’ mishaps amuse the crowd — and that’s exactly how winter should be seen off
Still, the Tyumen team doesn’t lose heart: a large sweet pancake can be finished in parts
Once ready, volunteers hand out portions with jam to everyone who wants some
Despite all the on‑fire “adventures”, it tastes amazing!
Almost at the same time, the Nyagan team gets to work
It’s important to shape the pancake into a perfect circle, matching the heating surface
Overall, they follow the same steps we’ve already seen
Note: a crane‑manipulator is used to move the pan
Soon comes the most critical moment: rolling the pancake onto the pin
Looks like luck is on Nyagan’s side in this part of the culinary challenge!
Now the pancake must be carefully transferred and just as carefully unrolled
And, as we can see, the northern guests nearly pull it off
Now it’s a matter of technique: quickly flip the remaining pieces…
…and finish them fast — the heat is plenty, and the audience’s appetite is definitely rising!
Next, the giant pancake is divided into portions…
…and served to the guests
With a bit of imagination, one can see how the leftover part on the pan seems to “smile”
The saying “First come, first served” comes to life right here at the festival
To the crowd’s delight, two more teams will also battle it out in the pancake maker contest today
Folk Fun and Concert
Meanwhile, the Winter Farewell interactive zones are in full swing
Knocking an opponent off a log with a sack — a classic and wildly popular pastime
We could watch these comic battles endlessly, but we’ll move on anyway
Signature tea is served from the record‑breaking copper samovar
A young athlete from the sports club effortlessly lifts a 24‑kilogram kettlebell
Craftsmen eagerly offer souvenirs and small goods to all passersby
A special zone called “The Village of Oddballs” follows the rules set by the Nyagan guests
They live up to the name: frying eggs on an iron…
…and sausages on an open flame — but on pitchforks!
Fancy a pancake served straight from a shovel?
If you do, it’ll be ready in no time…
…and will even make a dramatic flight before it lands on your plate
The stage never goes quiet: vocalists from the “Planet” Cultural Center are performing
The audience clearly loves their repertoire and infectious energy
By the way, they’re also from Nyagan
Traditional songs with a modern twist — what could be better for a festival?
The performers truly embody every story they bring to the stage
The townspeople will definitely remember them
Climbing the Ice Pole
No Winter Farewell is complete without the ice pole challenge
Some struggle to climb even a few meters
While others scale all the way to the top with ease
Suddenly, everyone’s attention turns to a delicate little girl
It’s her second attempt, and at first, the crowd looks skeptical
But taking long pauses to rest, she keeps climbing steadily
After a few minutes, the whole square starts cheering her on
And there she goes — she personally tears off the lucky ticket with the prize number
Character? Strength of spirit? Will to win? This young Siberian girl has it all!
One‑Meter Pancakes
Another super‑interactive zone lets everyone try their hand at being a pancake maker
Forming two teams for even the eighth pair of pancakes is a breeze
Contestants get pans about a meter in diameter to work with
Watching the process up close is almost as fun as cooking it yourself
Of course, flipping these pancakes is much easier than the 3‑meter ones
Great teamwork works wonders — the pancake stays intact!
A little more effort, and the culinary creation goes back on the heat
Jokes, little rhymes, and trivia keep the mood lively while the pancakes bake
The hosts even invite the “cooks” to join a round dance to pass the time
While we were watching the first team, the second one nailed it too
They’ve already taken their pancake off the heat and are getting ready to share it
Everyone gets a little piece — and what a springtime, long‑awaited taste it is!
All good things come to an end, and festival treats are no exception
The lucky ones bid farewell to winter well fed and happy
So, shall we head back to the main stage?
“Tsveten” Ensemble
The headliner of the program is the professional folk ensemble “Tsveten”
The group was founded in Kurgan in 1999
For Winter Farewell, the artists prepared beloved folk songs with a 21st‑century twist
“Tsveten” has performed on federal TV more than once
The musicians are well known, adored, and eagerly awaited at festivals across the country
Each of their numbers feels like a small theatrical performance
Their appearance in Yalutorovsk underscores the scale of the event
From a quick smartphone recording to becoming a devoted fan — it’s just one step away
The ensemble wishes everyone a happy holiday and looks forward to meeting new audiences
Burning the Effigy
The final touch remains: burning the straw effigy
The fire symbolizes the warmth of the coming spring and a complete renewal
Now all hardships will be left behind, and we’ll step into the future with new hopes!
