Twelve venues and 200 groups are waiting for 20,000 guests at "Karavon-2026".

      The Russian folk holiday "Karavon" in the Laishevsky district of Tatarstan will be attended by up to 20,000 guests on May 23. The expanded program, transfer scheme, and unique details of the folk ritual were revealed today at a press conference in Kazan's Central Department Store. The Deputy Minister of Culture of Tatarstan, Damir Natfullin, stated that "Karavon" is the oldest of the republican national holidays. "This is not just a fair or a concert. It is a living monument to our shared history, which spans more than three centuries. The round dance sets a substantive standard that all other national holidays of the republic aspire to," he said. Natfullin emphasized that Tatarstan remains one of the few regions where national holidays are celebrated at the republican level and receive organizational and material support from the leadership headed by the President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov. The First Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of the Laishevsky district, Artem Solyagin, reported that the 34th "Karavon" since its revival will take place from 10 AM to 5 PM. Twelve thematic areas will be set up on the territory:

      – "City of Craftsmen" with workshops on wickerwork, weaving, pottery, leatherwork, and wood carving;

      – a military-historical reconstruction area recreating a field camp of 17th century Russia;

      – a town of vintage attractions "Zakrutikha" with swing, row, and round swings;

      – a blacksmith's yard where visitors can make a forged item;

      – a zone for Russian national cuisine;

      – areas for traditional tabletop and outdoor games (including biryulki, tavli, lapta, kile);

      – an exhibition composition of hand embroidery "Towel in the History of the Russian Family";

      – a street theater and a wood carving festival.

      At the same time, five stages will be used: the main stage, the fair stage, the children's stage, "Zavalinka," and "Green Glade." From 12:00 PM to 4:40 PM, more than 200 folk groups from Tatarstan and other regions of Russia will perform on them. A special guest, folk singer Vlada Miravi, is scheduled to perform from 2:35 PM to 3:00 PM. To transport spectators, free buses will be launched: eight routes from two starting points – the "Victory Avenue" stop and the Central Department Store. For those who cannot come, the Central Department Store will organize a live broadcast from the Round Dance Glade. The Director of the A.S. Pushkin Cultural Center, Galina Yelistratova, focused on the folk component. She explained that the ritual part of the holiday begins the day before the official date – May 22, on the day of Nikolai the Wonderworker. "Since ancient times, the residents of Nikolsky would go out to lead round dances for three consecutive days and sing three traditional songs. In their time, folklorists Andrey Kabanov, Alexander Smirnov, Irina Kondratieva, and Natalia Borisova recorded them channel by channel – this is the only way to capture the correct pronunciation and variable intonation. This material cannot be conveyed with ordinary musical notation," she explained. Today, the recordings are stored in the community "Kazan Province. Russian Folklore," and every year, ensembles from Kazan rehearse them specifically for one performance at the Round Dance Glade. The round dance itself also has a strict form: participants connect their pinkies and move in a "duck step," slowly rotating "with the sun" and alternately narrowing and widening the circle. Yelistratova reminded that the tradition was revived more than 30 years ago by the efforts of the Trusov family, who gathered the last bearers of the ritual. Since 2003, the holiday has been held at the republican level. The General Director of the Center for Unique Crafts, Ranko Slavkovich, reported that the Central Department Store is joining the holiday as part of the Russian Culture Week. "More than 80 craftsmen are already present on our territory today, <...> eight workshops. During the preparation and holding of 'Karavon,' interactive activities from our craftsmen are planned at the Central Department Store: artistic wood carving, a master class on basket weaving. We are also working on a separate menu of Russian cuisine with a resident," he stated.

      Photo: © Vladimir Vasiliev / "Tatar-inform"