Alexandria Gathers Friends: A festival with a singular vibe

As soon as you step onto the festival field, you immediately feel this amazing vibe created by beautifully decorated venues, music and songs, smiles and cordial greetings. Everything has been done to create an atmosphere of bonding like you have come to visit old friends.

The Kupala Tree of Life exhibition-fair is the center stage of the festival. All districts of Mogilev Oblast and 29 regions of the Russian Federation are represented here. You get overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and uniqueness of the artwork offered by artisans. There is nothing you cannot find here!

“Three artisans from Irkutsk Oblast are in Alexandria to display the region’s intangible cultural heritage: round rugs made using the Chichkov spiral weaving technique. Spiral weaving traditions were brought to us by Belarusian peasant settlers. And we also present Ilim painting,” said Yelena Lisitskaya from Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast. “This is my second time at the festival; I was here last year. Belarusians are great hosts. We are very happy to be here, to mingle with other artisans, to explore Belarusian local folk crafts. And this interconnection of our cultures enriches people. The festival makes a huge contribution to our peaceful coexistence. We are brotherly and friendly nations. And the festival proves this.”

Natalya Linkevich is part of the delegation of Russia’s Bryansk Oblast. This is her first time at the festival, but she has heard a lot about it from her colleagues.

“I do a lot of things: I make patchwork items, knit lace, and do felting. I have heard about the festival before - everyone recommended me to come here one day, so here I am. The atmosphere is amazing, the scale of the festival is impressive. The organization is good; we have come to a very warm welcome. The festival has a great purpose, which has become even more relevant these days. Our peoples should stay friends, remember their common Slavic roots. We are one family!”

As we are walking between the rows, we see Tatiana Kovalyova from Khotimsk District. Her weaving works have become a recognizable brand. She came to the festival with her old weaving loom. This year she is taking part in the festival for the 15th time. She says it is impossible to miss this spectacular and heart-warming event.

“The vibe today is amazing! Look, summer has finally come just in the nick of time. The weather is perfect. People are happy and you can see many smiling faces all around,” she remarked. “Today I have brought a lot of my towels; all of them were hand-woven on my loom.”

By her own admission, Tatiana Kovalyova loves the festival in Alexandria with all her heart. “So many people from different places come here: it is always interesting to chat, look at their work and outfits and also to show my work, this is also enjoyable. I have loved the festival from the very beginning. This event brings joy, inspires, lifts the mood. And the venue is vast; it takes a lot of time to see all the beauty! And I also like the concerts; the performances are wonderful.”

Concerts, round dances, master classes – the festival has been bustling with activity from the morning.

“The Kupala Night Festival cannot do without a Kupala wreath. That’s why we are holding a thematic master class. We make wreaths from meadow and field flowers,” said Svetlana Krayevskaya who came to the festival from Slavgorod District. Flowers are the beauty and power of life. Young girls always weave wreaths at the festival, you can add nettles and birch branches to them. And at midnight, when a big bonfire is lit, unmarried girls go to the river and launch their wreaths on the water. The girl whose wreath floats farther will get married faster. And you can also make wishes on such a magical day, all of them will definitely come true!”

This year, the festive is taking place on an area of 10 hectares. And it takes a lot of time to walk around it: there are many thematic locations and inviting photozones where you keep stopping to take photos.

New sites have been added this year. One of them is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. This themed location offers a variety of exhibits and many interactive activities - the memory of our heroic past has become one of the leitmotifs of the festival.

Irina Pimashkova is a foster mother from Chausy who has come to the festival with a large group of 17 children of different ages. “Children love to visit such events; here they learn something new about Belarus, about our region, get to know the culture of Russian regions. The venues are well arranged and they cause real delight in children. And when children are happy, adults are happy too,” she noted.

Her 11-year-old foster child Kolya Fedorchenko is having a good time, too. The boy said that the festival is huge. “I've seen so much here, I've even driven a real tractor! And we'll also go for a walk, we'll go to the circus. I love such events,” the boy said.

The treats at the festival are very diverse. Even the most sophisticated gourmet will find something to their taste. Traditional Belarusian cuisine, new products and tastings from leading enterprises of our country, various snacks, kebabs, drinks - everything is fresh and tasty.

Yelena Feoktistova and her sister Valentina came to the festival from Krugloye. “You can't stay at home on such a day, so we wanted to spend it with a large group of friends. This festival showcases our culture, intertwines our past and present, celebrates our victories and achievements, all human values. It reflects our hope for the future. I am sure that this is a great opportunity for both Belarusians and our guests from Russia to meet with old friends, make new friendships and get long-lasting impressions. We plan to be here until late at night - we will explore all the premises, visit all the locations and will definitely stay for the fireworks,” she said. 

The festival in Alexandria will be running until late at night. Lots of music and songs, dances and ​​smiles have become a signature feature of the festival. This festival celebrates friendship built on traditions, culture and history, past and present.