As winter loosens its grip, Slavic communities celebrate Maslenitsa — a whole week of feasting that welcomes the spring. At its heart are blini, thin golden pancakes round and warm as the returning sun, served by the stack with butter, sour cream, jam, and caviar.
The week brims with sledding, songs, games, and visiting from house to house. It ends with a great bonfire, where a straw figure of winter is sent off in flames so the new season can begin. It is a tradition that has all but vanished elsewhere but lives on wherever Slavic families gather.
Much of the warmth and color you will see at our festival draws on customs like these — a reminder of how deep Slavic roots run.
