FestRider Photo Blog

Winter Farewell in the Pancake Capital of Russia

Yalutorovsk (Tyumen Region)
Full Story: 132 photosQuick Impression: 45 photos
From early morning, Sretenskaya Square is decked out for the Winter Farewell
By the way, runners must keep the pancake from falling off the pan while racing
No matter what, every single finisher gets a medal
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
There’s a moment before the start to share impressions of the festivities
At noon, the Maslenitsa procession sets off
The star of the procession is the Pancake King on his throne
Their mission is to spread joy, and they do it brilliantly
Still, walking along the main street in good company is a pleasure too
Townspeople watch the cheerful procession with curiosity
And these are representatives from Nyagan: they will take part in the pancake maker battle
The crowd adores the stilt walkers, and they return the affection wholeheartedly
Street vendors are busy trading: prices are symbolic, and the goods are all themed
The elegant effigy near the stage marks the final point of the route
The highlight of the program: baking pancakes on pans with a 3‑meter diameter
A team from Tyumen represents an Eastern cuisine restaurant
These moments perfectly bring the saying “Straight from the heat” to life
After a few minutes, they take a control temperature reading
Now it’s time to flip the pancake to the other side!
Not every pancake of this size can be wrapped perfectly around the pin
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!
Overall, they follow the same steps we’ve already seen
Soon comes the most critical moment: rolling the pancake onto the pin
Now the pancake must be carefully transferred and just as carefully unrolled
…and finish them fast — the heat is plenty, and the audience’s appetite is definitely rising!
…and served to the guests
To the crowd’s delight, two more teams will also battle it out in the pancake maker contest today
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
While others scale all the way to the top with ease
The stage never goes quiet: vocalists from the “Planet” Cultural Center are performing
The townspeople will definitely remember them
Contestants get pans about a meter in diameter to work with
Of course, flipping these pancakes is much easier than the 3‑meter ones
The hosts even invite the “cooks” to join a round dance to pass the time
Each of their numbers feels like a small theatrical performance
The musicians are well known, adored, and eagerly awaited at festivals across the country
So, shall we head back to the main stage?
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!

Continuing with the Theme

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With the fire going strong, the dish will be ready in just a few minutes90 shots

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And in the meantime, there’s time for a photo session — the kind you can only get at Winter Farewell!132 shots

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The intricate patterns on the costumes add a touch of magic to every movement84 shots

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…so they’re ready to answer any questions — especially about the great bell from 1904126 shots

Big Bells Return to the Small Homeland

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All photo stories: 18