Golden Boat Festival

On June 17 the Sobornaya Square of the ancient town of Kasimov will become a stage for the Golden Boat Festival. The fest will recreate the atmosphere of a fair in a district town of the 19^thcentury. The festival areas will include blacksmiths, grooms, potters, weavers, acrobats and jesters. The stage in the centre of the square will house a colourful show and guests will have a chance to see craft works from various Kasimov villages — Pushkarskaya, Tatarskaya, Yamskaya — as well as make souvenirs themselves during one of the numerous master classes.

Craftsmen of the Tatarskaya village will show guests how to work on a potter’s wheel and will give a master class on forging horseshoes. The visitors will be able to taste national Tatar and Russian species in an inn, a teashop or a tavern like in ancient Kasimov. In the Pushkarskaya village guests will be introduced to traditional Russian crafts — weaving and clay modelling. The craftsmen of the village will share their secrets of making a national motanka doll. Here you can also mint a coin to remember by.

Craftsmen of Yamskaya village will tell many interesting things about an old folk craft of the Kasimov land — the Vyrkovo toy, give master classes on making a rag doll and a bast toy.

If you wish you can also visit the bell tower of the Uspenskaya (Assention) cathedral, admire Kasimov from a bird’s eye view and learn the complicated science of bell ringing.