Hello to everyone reading us! Today is the Maslenitsa Thursday – people celebrate so-called “Revelry” or “the Broad Thursday” in the middle of the Maslenitsa week. This day was considered to be the most extreme spot of winter Maslenitsa entertainments on streets.  Sledge and skate, stuff yourself and taste delicious crepes, use your last chance to try some baked and fried pancakes with your charming Russian bride – the next forty days until Easter would be accompanied by a severe Great Lent.

Actually, the whole Maslenitsa week is divided into two parts, the Narrow Maslenitsa and the Broad one. The first three days of the week – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – were believed to be the Narrow, and the last four days were respectively the Broad Maslenitsa. From the beginning of Revelry Thursday all domestic activities stopped being in work. People had a good time, walked, visited each other, did winter outdoor activities till the end of the week. Revelry Thursday was the day when one could see on the streets the famous Russian fist fighting, where the best fighters competed. The fights usually took place on ice in crowded places. There were also “wall-on-wall” fights, and ancient Russian group fighting, with strict rules applied. The famous proverb “Don’t hit a man when he’s down” came from the very tradition of Maslenitsa fist fighting in Russia. Besides that, there was a lot of other winter entertainment, traditionally took place on Maslenitsa, including horse riding, sledding and an ancient game of taking a snow town. It was believed to express the national Russian character as well. A small nominal “town” built from ice and snow, would be assaulted and captured by two groups of people, one of them guarded the fortress, and another attacked it. People were supposed to get the negative energy right away.

You can also watch fabulous winter fist fighting and taking a snow town in our days. Ask your gorgeous Russian bride for an amazingly surprising city tour and have just witness the fairy traditions of winter Slavic Maslenitsa!