Colors of Moscow - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

One of the curious features of the Moscow city which most foreign tourists frequently notice is crowds of people in the streets and thousands of cars on the roads. Cruising the city by car following the central roads is rather challenging during the day that is why tourists should be accurate in choosing the right time for tours and city exploration. The most favorable time for distant tours is Sunday morning when the city changes enormously. Sunday morning will also be a pleasant time for hiking as this is the time when Moscow sinks in serenity and silence.

Local people have got used to heavy tourist traffic and numerous city guests and feel no excitement over them. However those tourists who visit the capital city for the first time should keep in mind several important features. When advice is needed tourists should better address the city visitors as they are rather than local folks as in this case a chance to get useful advice and necessary help is much higher.

travelers should better join guided group tours to explore the city rather than setting off to the tour alone as finding a way to some local landmarks is rather challenging. Many tourists try to get to Moscow on the New Year’s eve as during this period Moscow features mass scale folk festivals. Great musical and theatrical performances, entertaining events for kids, plenty of souvenir shops and attractive open air cafes fill the city squares, parks and streets on the eve of the fest turning the city into a great entertaining center. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Festive treats deserve special attention of city visitors. The guests of the capital will be offered Russian ethnic pies and sweets as well as hot wine punch. The New Year holidays are impossible to imagine without great pyrotechnic shows. The most beautiful and impressive fireworks can be witnessed in the New Year night on the Red Square. The breath taking event attracts tens of thousands of visitors. The same attractive and exciting ethnic fest is the Maslenitsa festival. This scale event is followed by many original entertainments and attractions.

Original contests and competitions, culinary battles and performances of various folk music groups, traditional Maslenitsa jack-straw burning up and stunning theatrical performances are only few of the events which the city visitors can witness as well as take part in during the festival. The main symbol of Maslenitsa is still the flats or Russian blinis. Tourists can try and taste this ethnic treat in any of the city restaurants during the festival. However many guests and local folks give preferences to open air cafes for blinis tasting.

Travelers note that Russian people can have fun and really love doing this. Music festivals are the best time for this. One of the most unique events is Game Music Fest where you can listen to atmospheric music from your favorite games. The fest attracts gamers and music addicts and is held in late March in the Cition Hall. The headliners of the fest are always famous people, for example, the composer Akira Yamaoka and the German metalcore band We Butter The Bread With Butter (WBBWB).

The Masters of Hardcore is another popular music festival. It is particularly dedicated to metalcore and hardcore. It is held in late January in the club Adrenaline Stadium. Famous headliners are invited from all over the world, so the fest will stick in everyone’s memory. In Moscow, the locals love club parties and that is why the Trancemission: Heartbeat Festival is very popular here. Every year, it takes place in Adrenaline Stadium in mid-February and usually coincides with Valentine’s Day. The event is considered as the best electronic music festival. Local and foreign musicians are also honored to be invited to the fest.

In Moscow, people love Nirvana. On its legendary front man’s birthday, 20 February, the Kurt Cobain Birthday Fest is held in the Theater club. Every year, the fest is visited by hundreds of thousands of Kurt Cobain’s fans. On this day, it seems that the legendary musician performs at the fest. Maybe, he really does. Anyway, the festival deserves every music addict’s attention. Every year, in the Krasnaya Presnya Park, the main summer open-air fest Afisha Picnic is held. Its headliners are celebrities (The Chemical Brothers, The Cure, Belle & Sebastian). It is a unique chance to acquaint with popular Russian musicians. All genres, from rock to hip hops, are presented here.

In Russia, people also love folk rock and folk metal. In late July, Folk Summer Fest, an amazing fest where famous Russian and foreign performers are invited, is held. Its headliners were Cruachan, Alestorm, Arkona, Korpiklaani, and Finntroll. It is held in the Otrada located in the neighborhood of the city. Besides music, the visitors can enjoy other entertainments: fire shows, master classes, craft markets, and a gastronomic program. Another interesting summer event is Park Live that is annually held in early July. It takes place in one of the main landmarks of the city, Gorky Park. At the festival, you can listen to different genres of rock music, from alt-rock to deathcore.

In Moscow, food festivals are very popular too. In late February, the Festival of Honey and Farm Delicacies is held in the Gostinyi Dvor. Here, you can learn more about honey production, its utility, and how to choose a good product. Of course, the visitors can taste it. In the mini-museum, you can watch bees making honey. Besides, you can taste here meats, hand-made sweets, and unique tea. The other food fest is dedicated to coffee and named Cezve Coffee Festival. It is annually held in late January in the culture center ZIL. Master classes, tasting, consultations, and contests for baristas are just some of the entertainments.

In mid-May, cosplayers, gamers and anime fans gather together at the Toguchi Fest. It is held in the culture center “Projector” and includes fashion parades, a photo zone, performances, and a fair. A lot of contests are organized here. Besides a contest for the best costume, participants compete in singing and dancing. Another attractive festival is edgy KotArtFest, during which you can visit photo, art, video and sculpture exhibitions. Music concerts are theatrical performances are also held here. In late January, the Artplay Fest dedicated to design and culture is held.