“Summer Send‑Off” Festival
In Krestiki village, traditions don’t just live — they are actively kept alive. Local craftswomen weave one‑of‑a‑kind pile carpets; tailors create dresses whose cuts and patterns are unlike any others; voices join in resonant, multi‑part folk singing. And what’s vital: the elders teach all of this to the young, ensuring the heritage continues.
So it’s hardly surprising that the “Summer Send‑Off” Festival drew a wide crowd: locals from neighbouring villages, visitors from Kalachinsk and Omsk, and even art exhibition organisers from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Old House
The festival kicks off at the historic Artamonov family home
Built in 1895, it still tells the story of the village’s proud history
The interior is arranged just as it was decades ago — the family lived here until 1952
The main attraction of the house is the famous Krestiki carpets!
The craftswomen weave them by hand on a special loom
In Krestiki, every stage of carpet-making is alive, starting from spinning the yarn
A carpet served as home decoration and showcased the mistress’s level of skill
Experts select pieces to be displayed at a design festival in the Northern Capital
Dishes of peasant cuisine help them better feel the spirit of the place
Meanwhile, connoisseurs of traditional culture gather in the courtyard of the old house
Guests from Moscow and St. Petersburg become active participants in the round dances
Fast, cheerful songs give way to drawn-out, melodic ones
Group folk dances feature a great variety of patterns
One thing remains constant: the song must never stop
Some verses form a storyline that calls for dancers to step out of the circle
Now it is time to make the dancers’ formation more complex
The circle dance segment takes up about 20 minutes of the grand program
The women of Krestiki village set an example of seamless, well-rehearsed performance
Leaving the historic house, the festival-goers walk in a column toward the festival meadow
All the way, they sing playful folk rhymes, passing the baton to one another
The result is a perfect spontaneous rehearsal for the upcoming concert
Krestiki Carpets
Meanwhile, at the local Cultural Center, visitors can explore carpet-weaving in greater detail
The first floor houses an exhibition of contemporary carpets
They feature bright floral motifs, and the background color needs not always be black
While waiting for guests, the craftswomen work at their usual pace
The cat, a favourite of all the Cultural Center staff, “stands guard” at the spot of the senior weaver
Upon returning, the senior weaver’s first order of business is to offer advice to those who need it
The pile of Krestiki carpets is about 3 cm long, which gives them a fluffy texture
Each colored woolen thread is tied by hand with a knot to the woven base
The younger generation already knows all the nuances and is ready to carry forward this revived regional craft
The second floor of the Cultural Center displays historical carpets
Many of them are small, since they were often made for trunks and chairs
The repeating pattern allows the carpet runner to be of any length
Carpets of different sizes belong to different eras
Geometric ornamentation is characteristic of the earliest surviving pieces
It seems the capital’s experts have already decided which specimens will go to the exhibition
Festival Meadow
But let us step out onto the festival meadow!
Here, village farmsteads have been set up, and guests are treated to pastries and tea
Everything around is a reminder of bidding farewell to a bountiful summer
At the market stalls, you can pick up a handmade item…
…or simply watch the artisans at work
And in a few minutes, the concert will begin!
The program features mini-performances, songs and dances, and even a fashion show
One short scene is devoted to seasonal field work
The characters of another scene are on their way to a fair as a family to sell their harvest
A song in Ukrainian rings out
The words are familiar to many, and the guests eagerly sing along
The performers’ outfits are no less stunning than their vocals
Some of the audience will soon take the microphone themselves
The next performer is a vibrant representative of the Udmurt people
Her coin breastplate is an amulet, often passed down from generation to generation
On stage are representatives of the neighbouring Chistovskoye rural settlement
Like many today, their theatrical number ends with a treat for the audience
It is simply impossible to refuse the sweet delicacies without offending the hostesses
Closer to the finale, it is the Krestiki performers’ turn: their polyphony is truly distinctive
We have already seen these women in a different role: talented people are talented in everything
It is heartening that the folk traditions of bygone times have found their heirs
Largely improvising on stage were Omsk residents from the Russian folk club “Sing-and-Dance”
They, too, have something to add to the songs already heard: drawn-out and unhurried
And the stronghold of fun was the veterans’ choir “Native Melodies” from Okoneshnikovsky District
Folk Costume Fashion Show
The program concludes with a folk costume fashion show: before us is a Krestiki “pair”
The showcase is accompanied by commentary on the elements of each outfit
The Mordvin costume stands out with rich embroidery and practical jewellery
Another dress from Krestiki — the khaladay
It is fascinating to see how the look changes when one element of clothing is removed
This “pair” was created in our time, but following old museum patterns
The women’s Komi-Permyak attire deserves a detailed introduction
Even the footwear in this set is authentic — bast shoes made of birch bark
The headdress indicates the social status of its wearer
An Udmurt costume can be simple, yet feature ornamentation and a breastplate
And here, a Mordvin maiden’s narrow headband is of particular interest
There are also many Russian costumes at the festival — from surviving originals to modern pieces
The craftswomen share the history behind the outfits and reveal their sources of inspiration
The fashion show became a bright finale to the “Summer Send-Off” Festival
The sincere and hospitable residents of Krestiki are ready to welcome guests from all over the country!
