Karavon – tradition preserved through time

Traditional exclamations ‘Karavon! Karavon!’ and bell-ringing opened the Russian Folklore Festival ‘Karavon’ in Nikolskoye village Saturday, May 23.

The holiday with three-century history marks the end of the sowing campaign. In 1993 it received the official status of Russian folk song festival. In 2003 ‘Karavon’ was introduced in the law “On festive and memorable dates of the Republic of Tatarstan” by the Decree of Tatarstan President. In 2009 ‘Karavon’ received the status of the Volga Region festival of Russian folklore.

It has become a good tradition to receive folklore teams from all over Russia – Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Udmurtia republics, the Republic of Mariy-El, and Kirov Province. Representatives of Sakha-Yakutia Republic participated in the festival for the first time. According to words of the Laish Municipal District head Alexander Timofeyev, 87 creative teams from 7 Russian regions took part in the festival this year.

Officials also attended the Russian Folklore Festival. Such guests as Tatarstan State Council Chairman Farid Moukhametshin, Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan – Minister of Culture Zilya Valeyeva, heads of the republican ministries and departments took part in the event. The distinguished guest of ‘Karavon’ was Princess Ksenia Yusupova Sfiry, count Yusupov’s granddaughter.