Novgorod Regional Folk Centre

Novgorodian gave the participants of the international "Sadko" Festival, which was held during the "Days of the Slavonic Written Language and Culture", a cordial welcome.

The Novgorod Region Centre of Folk Art, the leader in conservation and restoration of the national past, is one of the organisers of these festivals.

During the festivals the guests of the city may visit the true Russian village, may look at and try their own abilities in weaving, embroidery, birch-bark and rod wattling; may visit exhibitions of the original artists and folk masters and buy an unique souvenirs.

The folk-lore groups will show you the ritual folk dance and sing Russian songs, will demonstrate ethnographically authentic costume of Novgorod area.

Guest performances given by folk art companies are always an outstanding success. Here the visitors may listen to the magic sounds of gusli, pipe, zhaleika, may dance in a ring to a Russian accordion and balalaika (stringed musical instrument); sing a song or chastushka (two-line or four-line folk verse, usually humorous and topical, sung in a lively manner).

The history and immense artistic heritage of the city attract the attention of the creative youth not only from different parts of Russia but from many other countries seeking inspiration in its great past.