“Rusalia”: A Mermaid Festival at the Lake
For several years now, in July, the Lyubino‑Malorossy Cultural Center has been hosting an intimate folk festival featuring round dances, rituals, and traditional rural games. On a hot day, it’s a perfect way to spend a weekend — to relax by the shore of Staritsa Lake and connect with age‑old traditions, just 30 km from Omsk.
Games and Fun
The festival grounds are open to both locals and visitors
Guests are welcomed by familiar fairy‑tale characters
They happily pose for photos with anyone who wants
Here you can try your hand at traditional games and everyday activities from the past
For example, you can hone a useful skill like chopping firewood
You can also learn how grain was once separated from ears using a flail
A wooden disc you made yourself can be decorated with the festival’s symbol by the organizers
This year, “Rusalia” even got its own adorable souvenirs
Folk songs start sounding spontaneously, straight from the heart
Shooting a homemade arrow from a homemade bow is no easy task
But with a helper like this, you’ll definitely hit the target!
Those tired of active fun are offered face painting and craft workshops
At a separate station, you can learn to make a doll sculpted by trimming
The material used is soft and pliable — linden bast
Such toys were made for children to keep them busy during fieldwork
Now we braid a little pigtail
If something doesn’t work out, the master will always guide and help
One last trim — and the doll is ready
Round Dances and Bonding Ritual
Round dances are an essential part of any folk festival
A few experts in tradition sing and guide the movement
Some time is always spent explaining the rules to newcomers
The patterns of traditional folk dances can be quite intricate
The “Little Brook” is known to everyone since childhood, but keeping up the right pace is a challenge
All in all, a round dance is a sure way to feel unity with others and with the world
The lovely girls are almost ready for the final ritual
As they tie ribbons to a birch tree, the participants make wishes
It is believed that in this form, you should ask fate for something deeply personal
But before the finale, there is one more warm bonding ritual
Looking into each other’s eyes, the girls declare their strong friendship
This special, almost sacred connection is sealed with kisses on the cheeks
You don’t have to be the same age to become spiritual sisters
The wreath embodies the power of nature and adds weight to the actions being performed
As a sign of friendship, you can also exchange flowers through the woven ring
Main Ceremony
The climax of the festival is approaching
The decorated birch tree symbolizes a mermaid — a figure of dangerous, dark forces
She must be returned to her element so that the summer brings a fertile harvest
The ceremony itself is also performed by mermaids — girls wearing wreaths and plain, unembroidered shirts
Under the scorching sun, plunging fully into the water is actually quite pleasant
The Omsk version of this ancient rite is not the only one, but it’s certainly among the most joyful
All that remains is wreath divination!
It’s one more chance to make a wish, and the wreaths fly swiftly into the water
But of course, nowadays it’s not superstition that matters, but the preservation of cultural heritage
Staritsa Lake will witness festive events more than once again
For today, the program is over, and it’s time to head home
Before summer’s end, the region will offer a few more reasons to escape the city for a weekend!
