Sochi 2014 guests to taste Russian Maslenitsa flavor

Sportsmen at the 2014 Winter Olympics will be plunged into the atmosphere of a Russian folk holiday, Maslenitsa. The Games coincide with the fest and, among other things, organizers plan to entertain Sochi’s guests with Russian pancakes bliny, and sleddin

Also known as Pancake week, Maslenitsa is a Russian religious and folk holiday celebrated during the last week before Great Lent. The idea of marking it at the Winter Games, first voiced at the Russian Rural Intelligence Forum, was warmly met by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. “It’s a good idea,” Putin told ITAR-TASS agency. “It’s possible and necessary to combine major international competitions with such festivals to promote Russian traditions and culture.”Maslenitsa usually includes masquerades, snowball fights, sledding, riding on swings and plenty of other winter fun.