The festivities, marking 13 years of tradition, included concerts, sports competitions, round dances, and pancakes. The central event was the burning of the Winter effigy, symbolizing the farewell to winter and the welcoming of spring.
The city's youth actively participated in contests to music, while the residents of Kara-Balta competed in tug-of-war and amusing pillow fights.
The main decoration of the holiday was a six-meter tall Winter effigy, made from 10 meters of timber, 30 meters of fabric, and 10 bales of straw, making it the tallest Maslenitsa effigy in Kyrgyzstan.
The burning of the effigy delighted the children, who, along with their parents, danced around the bonfire, chanting: "Burn, burn brightly, so that it does not go out!"
The last day of the Maslenitsa week coincides with Forgiveness Sunday, a time when it is customary to ask for forgiveness from one another. Many participants took this opportunity to reconcile and迎接 spring with pure intentions.
More than 20 types of pancakes were presented at the celebration, all receiving high praise from the guests. However, the most attention was drawn to Lydia Blokhina, who amazed everyone with her colorful pancakes.
“I used natural dyes, such as carrot and beet, as well as food colorings typically used in cake baking. The fillings varied from custard condensed milk to fish and meat mince,” she shared about her culinary achievements.
Buyers noted that the color of the pancakes enhanced the flavor of the fillings, making them even more appetizing. Although cooking is not Lydia Filippovna's main hobby, she is known as an outstanding educator in the Kyrgyz Republic and currently works at Lyceum No. 102 in the city of Kara-Balta.
