Press releases

Opening day splendor: Majorettes, concerts, exhibitions and more at Slavianski Bazaar

VITEBSK, 16 July (BelTA) - The 35th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk will officially open on 16 July. The festival directorate has revealed to BelTA what else awaits locals and visitors to the Dvina city on this day.

The International Press Center will open at 10:00 and host a press conference to honor media representatives for the best coverage of the festival.

The 7th festival-competition of drum majorettes and baton twirlers will take place on Victory Square from 12:00 to 17:00.

The Puppet Quarter program features four performances at the Belarusian Theater Lyalka: Oh, and the Golden Snuffbox at 11:00 and 13:00, performed by the host theater; The Story of a Fox at 17:00 by the Ivanovo Puppet Theater; and The Little Humpbacked Horse at 19:00 by the Karabaska Theater from Perm.

At 12:00, the 3rd International Festival of Social Cinema Common Life will open at the House of Cinema. It will be held as part of the Days of the Union State at the festival. A photo exhibition titled What Is Dear to the Heart by Smolensk master photographers will be presented, and the documentary film Forever First will be screened.

The festival’s cinema lineup also features the film One for Two dedicated to the feat of military pilots Andrey Nichiporchik and Nikita Kukonenko, the natives of Vitebsk Oblast, Heroes of Belarus. The screening begins at 15:00. Following the film, a creative meeting with director Ivan Pavlov will take place.

The highlight of the day will be the unveiling of the star of the recipient of the Belarusian president’s special award Through Art to Peace and Mutual Understanding. The ceremony will take place at 15:00 near the Summer Amphitheater.

At 15:00, the Lenin Vitebsk Regional Library will host the presentation of an exhibition dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the National Library of Belarus building. The Library Atlas project will be showcased there.

At 16:00, the Vitebsk Art Museum will launch the exhibition Marc Chagall. Above the Town. The centerpiece of the exhibition will be the original painting Above the Town (1914–1918) from the State Tretyakov Gallery. The project has been implemented with the support of the general sponsor ASB Belarusbank.

At 17:00, the Vitebsk Regional Museum of Hero of the Soviet Union M.F. Shmyrev will present the photo exhibition Women's Faces of War.

At 18:00, the Vitebsk concert hall will host a solo performance by People's Artist of Russia, poet and composer Denis Maidanov, while the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic will feature Latvian composer, musician and producer Gaitis Lazdāns.

The grand opening of the 35th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk will take place at the Summer Amphitheater at 19:30, featuring pop stars, renowned companies and young talents from Belarus and other countries. The concert will conclude with a spectacular fireworks display.

At 22:30, the Vitebsk Central Sports Complex will turn into a dance floor with Dushevnoye Radio.

The 12th Street Art Fest On Seven Winds will be running from 16 to 19 July. Musical, theater, and dance companies will perform at open-air city venues.

Also, starting July 16, the Ministry of Internal Affairs campaign For Safety – Together will kick off in festival‑hosting Vitebsk. Its guests will be able to see demonstration performances by special units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and cadets from military‑patriotic clubs and also young traffic inspectors, and a mounted police patrol; take a ride with police officers on Segways, electric scooters and tricycles; explore exhibitions of special equipment and weaponry, vintage vehicles and uniforms; taste soldier's porridge and enjoy a concert; take part in contests; and have photos taken with life‑size figures.