On December 21, her whole family will gather in Yarensk for the birthday of the snow magician: Father Frost, Mother Blizzard, Siverko's faithful companion of Winter, daughter Snow Maiden, aunts and uncles Snowmen and Snow Women, as well as numerous nephews and nieces of Snowmen and Snowflakes. In honor of this event, a winter ball "Snow Lace of Winter" will be held.
On the way to the motherland of Mother Winter, be sure to stop in the village of Belopashino - village games, treats and a Russian stove ... Belopashinsky gatherings are still fun!
The program of events at the Residence of Mother Winter:
DECEMBER
December 1-21- Festival "Tales of the Lena Forest":
- Competition "Happy Birthday, Winter!";
- "Opening of the festival" Tales of the Lena Forest "(theatrical performance);
- Festival of masters "Good people for a feast for the eyes!" (interactive programs, exhibition-fair, master classes, etc.);
- Opening a Christmas tree in the meadow at Mother Winter;
- "Rising Stars" (children's art competition);
- "Wedding in a Winter Tale" and the opening of the "Alley of Lovers";
- "Miracles under New Year"(Opening of the New Year tree);
- "Snow Ball of Winter" (theatrical performance).
December 24-27- interactive theatrical performance "The New Year's Adventure of Snowball and Snowball".
December 27-30- a festive outdoor program with the participation of Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden "Invite a fairy tale into the house."
JANUARY
January 2-12- New Year's receptions at the Winter Residence.
6th January- a theatrical performance based on Nikolai Gogol's work "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka".
Jan. 7- Christmas festivities.
January 17- “Send Christmas carols to us” (folk festivities).
Svetlana Vyaznikova
My children and I recently visited Mothers of Winter... It's just a fairy tale! I invite you to see our photo report.
Met us Mother Winter in the largest and lightest room - the hall where the throne is.
The throne Mother Winter is not easy rather magical. Whoever sits on it and makes a wish - it will definitely come true!
In the hall by Mother Winter's Snowman Lives, there is an elegant Christmas tree.
The walls of the hall are decorated with paintings by local artists.
Told us Mother Winter about her palace, about what is in it.
Have Mother Winter has her own dining room where she treats guests to tea with snowflakes (meringue).
And children mother Winter treated with snowflakes
There is a fireplace in the dining room, which she kindles if the guests are frozen.
There is a room called a bedchamber where Mother Winter is resting.
There is a bed in that room
The chest of drawers on which the boxes are, in them Mother Winter keeps its decorations.
Carved antique oven
And this is a winter outfit Mothers of Winter
To be continued.
The next character from the Fairytale Map of Russia will be Mother Winter, who lives in the city of Yarensk, Arkhangelsk Region. Her birthday is just around the corner - December 21st.
No matter how I tried, but to draw out some kind of folklore and mythological thread coming from the depths of centuries regarding this character, I will not succeed. The most distant reference in history is to Pushkin's "Eugene Onegin". Well, remember, he had about winter there
Goes sorceress winter,
Came, crumbled; shreds
Hanged on the branches of oak trees,
Laid down in wavy carpets
Among the fields around the hills.
Brega with a motionless river
Equalized with a plump shroud;
Frost flashed, and we are glad
Leprosy mother winters.
In general, it turns out that Russian poets (Derzhavin, Pushkin, Tyutchev, etc.) invented a magical and enchanting appearance of winter, and Pushkin also called winter mother. And since we all memorized poetry at school, and Pushkin is our everything, then Mother Winter was somehow remembered.
The current fairy-tale character Mother Winter owes her appearance to the head of the department of social development of the Lensky district of the Arkhangelsk region, Natalya Rocheva, from Yarensk, who, apparently, is herself a wonderful storyteller in life.
The village of Yarensk is very ancient, and although the year of foundation is not precisely established, the Vychegodsko-Ipatievka (Misailo-Evtikhievskaya) chronicle of 1384 is considered the first written mention of it. For a long time, Yarensk flourished due to the fact that it was located on busy trade routes, since Arkhangelsk was the only Russian seaport. And after Peter the Great and the founding of St. Petersburg, the trade routes withered, and in 1924 Yarensk became a village from a city. Under the USSR, there was a state farm and logging. And then the USSR collapsed. And Yarensk, like many other small towns and villages, began to die slowly.
A thousand kilometers to the regional center. There are closed enterprises and four thousand people all around, who by the 2010s are beginning to understand that soon it will not be possible to find such a point on the map, if something is not urgently done.
And then a miracle happened. Almost fabulous.
The story goes that one day in December 2011, standing over a sink full of dishes and grinding the plates, Natalya Rocheva suddenly heard on TV in the familiar "Tales of the Vienna Woods" the prophetic - "Tales of the Lena Forest". After washing the dishes, she sat down to read "Arguments and Facts" and saw there an article titled "New Year's Orphan?" that the Snow Maiden, who is traveling around the country with Grandfather Frost, has no mother at all. And I thought, why not take the vacant place of mother?
No sooner said than done. Yarensk is an ancient place that has seen a lot of things. In the annals of the Transfiguration Cathedral, which today houses the Yarensky Museum of Local Lore, a record was found very quickly that "On December 21, 1882, in the vicinity of Yarensk there was a strong snow storm with a north wind, so that the roofs of many houses were removed." December 21 - the day of the winter solstice! It was on such a night, according to the authors of the idea, that Frost and Blizzard had a daughter, Zima.
They turned to the creator of the "Fairy Tale Map of Russia" project with a proposal to include their character in the number of characters. And after a request to make a justification, to find some kind of connection to the area, they began to look for where this could happen. And they found it. It turned out that in the last century, three kilometers from Yarensk was the village of Siberia!
Looking ahead, I will say that the plan to create a family for the Snow Maiden has been fulfilled and exceeded. Now the Snow Maiden in Yarensk has a mother, Mother Winter, a father, the north wind Siverko, a grandmother, a Blizzard (wife of Santa Claus), an aunt, a Snow Woman, and numerous nephews, Snowballs and Snowflakes. And they are all registered in the village of Siberia, Lensky District, Arkhangelsk Region.
On December 21, 2011, the New Year tree in Yarensk was opened on Zima's birthday. Residents of the district congratulated Zima on her birthday and presented her with a birth certificate.
The organizers understood from the very beginning that Mother Winter had to live somewhere, and this place will play a major role in the success of the project. The residence was housed in one of the buildings of the museum, "House of the merchant Eshkilev", which is a monument of history and culture of the eighteenth century.
They were able to get a regional subsidy for the reconstruction and repair of the building for the project, but there was no more money for anything, so the organizers threw a cry to the people to help, who can do what they can. Residents of Yarensk collected antique furniture, utensils and dishes for the residence, restored them and painted them in white, blue and silver colors, placed them in the house, creating an atmosphere of a magical fairy tale.
The bedchamber, the throne room, the cellar with the treasury, where the medicine from the canned northern lights is kept, pickled snowflakes ... Yarensk shone with fabulous beauty.
The magic throne of Mother Winter, sitting on which, you can make a wish. They say that in addition to children, adults sometimes do this, even all sorts of oil and gas managers.
In 2012, at the invitation of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Arkhangelsk Region, specialists from Moscow came from Moscow to conduct a seminar and consultations on the project "Yarensk - Mother Winter's Motherland", as a result of which local residents learned a lot about how to run a fabulous business. But the consultants also learned a thing or two. The entire population, even children, is not always involved in such projects.
In the same year, at the fair in Yarensk, within the framework of the project of the government of the Arkhangelsk region "Constellation of Northern Festivals", the festival "Tales of the Lena Forest" was held.
A great many guests came to Yarensk from all parts of the region. The festive concert of the festival was opened by the most long-awaited guest - the State Academic Northern Russian Folk Choir. Then artists from the Komi Republic, the Vologda Oblast, and, of course, the Arkhangelsk Oblast took the stage.
The main event of the fair was the arrival of Father Frost from Veliky Ustyug to the Fairy Tales of the Lena Forest festival. He came not alone, but with Baba Zhara, and Mother Winter met them. This was her first official public appearance.
It's summer. And in winter there was a festival of arts "Snow Lace of Winter", which was attended by guests from Syktyvkar - the State Song and Dance Ensemble "Asya kya" and the group "Balalaika" named after Nalimov.
I must say that funding for the project is allocated quite modest, but the enthusiasm of the residents of Yarensk is simply huge, and it is on the enthusiasm that everything rests
Three years after the launch of the project, the residents of Yaren were able to proudly say: "If in 2012 the Residence was attended by 1400 people, then in 2015 - already 7150. We conducted 604 excursions, 57 cultural and entertainment programs and 83 master classes."
A Euro-class hotel was built in the village, a horse yard, a new cafe and shopping center, people got jobs, and a penny flowed into the budget ... Festivals, fairs, holidays, weddings, looking for treasure on the streets of a 600-year-old village - and now there are 3 buses of tourists a day.
Not only school tours and local tourists of the surrounding regions come to visit, but also distant tourists on the way to the Fatherland of Father Frost in Veliky Ustyug often stop by and visit Mother Winter.
The ancient interiors of the merchant's mansion attract not only children, but also adults. In the courtyard of Mother Winter, the inhabitants of the fabulous "Lena Forest" live: Snezhiki, Vodyanoy and Kikimora, and in the forest hut - Baba Yaga herself.
Now the festival "Tales of the Lena Forest" is held in December and lasts a whole month.
Every year the festival program is full of various events: a festival of folk craftsmen and crafts, a trade fair, contests for the best toy for a New Year tree and a sketch of a postcard from Mother Winter, a gastronomic holiday "According to the recipes of the magic cuisine of Baba Yaga", a winter ball "Snow Lace of Winter "
Here's a story.
And I don't even know what is more wonderful in it - a fairy tale about Mother Winter or a fairy tale that has become a reality, how the inhabitants of little Yarensk gathered their strength and, on almost naked enthusiasm and love for their small homeland, pulled out a project that is now being compared in terms of level with the Fiefdom of Santa Claus, with absolutely incomparable financial capabilities.
Do not forget to stop by if you are in those parts.
A fabulous pedigree is written in Yarensk
Who invented Mother Winter? What do the children like most about her residence? Why do we need last year's dried snow? Natalya Rocheva, the leading methodologist of the Center for Folk Culture and Tourism of the Lensky District, tells about the secrets of the most famous brand of the Lensky District.
The birth of a legend
We started from scratch, with a clean slate. But there was a good team and the belief that the tourism product that we created would be in demand. Since people come to us, it means they are interested in it.
First, the project "Tales of the Lena Forest" appeared. In the familiar title of the waltz "Tales of the Vienna Woods" one could hear "Tales of the Lena Forest". Santa Claus lives next door to us in Veliky Ustyug. I suggested to colleagues in the department of culture: why not live with Mother Zima? Winters are very cold here! But this requires a story, a legend, because people most willingly believe in fairy tales.
In the annals of the Transfiguration Cathedral, workers of the Yarensk Museum of Local Lore found the following record for 1882: “On December 21, there was a strong storm at night with a strong north wind, such that the roofs of many houses were removed”. Note: this happened on the day of the winter solstice, which means that it could well mark the birth of the beauty of Winter.
And then in the newspaper "Argumenty i Fakty" there was a small article "New Year's Orphan": Santa Claus and his granddaughter Snegurochka walk around Russia, but where is the mother? And we thought: why don't we take this vacant place? So Mother Zima, the mother of the Snow Maiden, settled in Yarensk. And dad - Siverko, as the north wind is called in Pomorie.
Now, once a year, the entire snow family gathers in Yarensk for Zima's birthday: Santa Claus and Blizzard, Zima and Siverko, Snegurochka, uncles and aunts - Snowmen and Snow Women, nephews and nieces - Snowballs and Snowflakes. And the assistants of Mother Winter live in the fabulous Lena forest: the connoisseur of folk medicine Baba Yaga, the keeper of the Lena rivers Vodyanoy, the keeper of the Lena bogs Kikimora, the owner of the Lena taiga Leshy.
Small steps and big
Today the project is already in its seventh year, and every day we make at least a small step forward! Of course, there were difficulties, mistrust, lack of funding on our way. How can you create something from scratch? They began to enter competitions at various levels - municipal, regional, federal. And our projects started to win! We received the first sums for which we restored the building of the residence, created the interior in the old house of the merchant Eshkilev in Yarensk.
With the first successes, people became interested. TPSs "Uyezdny gorod" and "Preobrazhensky park" were created, which solve the problems of improvement, including the territory near the Zima residence.
Moreover, today an association of folk craftsmen “Craftsmen of Mother Winter” has been created, and a souvenir shop has opened in the residence.
The trademark "Yarensk - Mother Winter's Motherland" is registered with Rospatent. The Vologda Confectionery Factory produces sweets "Yarensk - the Motherland of Winter".
The project has also stepped into the district. In the village of Belopashino, our guests become participants in the Belopashinsky gatherings, where everyone who goes to Mother Winter is greeted with folk songs and old games, and treated to pies from the Russian oven.
In the Zima residence, parents order programs for children's birthdays, and newlyweds - a fabulous wedding program.
With warmth and care
Why did we choose a fairy tale? The children's audience means it. And we immediately wanted to make the project different from the one in Veliky Ustyug. There is more museum activity, we have more interactivity. We conduct master classes, games, holidays, contests.
We see the development of the project in its extension to the territory of the entire region, so that each village has its own local history tourism flavor. There are great prospects for this in the villages of Irta and Kozmino.
We offer our programs for very modest money. The newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda" wrote about this, noting that Mother Winter is the most budgetary in terms of ticket prices. But the main thing we are proud of is that our guests are surprised and pleased by a very warm and attentive attitude towards them.
A creative team of like-minded people is working at the Zima residence. Our specialists have an excellent feel for child psychology. We are trying to learn from the Kirov region (the "Flying Ship" project). We go to Santa Claus in Veliky Ustyug.
Secrets of Mother Winter
What surprises guests with the northern beauty?
- "The one who sits on my snow throne and makes a wish will certainly come true, but there should be only one wish!"
- In Mother's refectory, all the dishes are made of pure ice silver, and in the cellar she keeps salted snowballs and pickled icicles.
- Her bedchamber has a bed with soft snowy featherbeds and winter pillows. Whichever she chooses - such a frost will be - big or small.
- The mistress of Winter has hidden safes in the treasury, in which fabulous pearls and diamonds are kept. And she also has a magic necklace. If a kind person takes it in hand, it remains whole, and if an evil person runs it in a stream.
- So that Mother Winter does not melt in the summer, she has a potion infused with water from the healing springs of Lena. And what it is seasoned with and why Matushka needs last year's dried snow - you will find out for yourself when you come to visit!
Facts
- "Mother Winter" is the current brand of the Lensky District and Yarensk. Tourists come from all over Russia, the main organized stream comes from the Komi Republic and the Arkhangelsk region. We met guests from Israel, USA, Germany, Belgium, Canada, France, Finland, as well as from neighboring countries.
- The Snow Wizard is invited to holidays and festivals: the birthday of Santa Claus in Veliky Ustyug, the International Fairy Games in Kirov. In 2013, Matushka Zima traveled with a regional delegation to Norway and Iceland for a seminar on rural development. In 2014, Mother Zima, in the team of Santa Claus, took part in the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. It is included in the federal project of Rostourism "Fairy Russia". In 2018, a meeting of the expert council of the federal project was held in Yarensk.
- Every year, from December 1 to December 30, the festival "Tales of the Lena Forest" is held in Yarensk, dedicated to the birthday of Winter, and on December 21, the winter ball "Snow Lace of Winter" is held.
- The souvenir toy "Mother Winter's Snowball" in 2017 won first place in the All-Russian competition of tourist souvenirs in the North-Western District. It was invented by local masters - Natalia Pivovarova, Tatyana Katunina, Lilia Korzhakova.
- The project involves the teams of the Yarensky Complex Center for Continuing Education, the Yarenskaya Library, the Yarensky Museum of Local Lore, the Yarenskoye Consumer Society, the IE V. A. Lizunov, the IP I. N. Peschinskaya, the masters of folk crafts and crafts of the Lensky District, the Komi Republic, the Vologda Oblast ...
Opening hours of the Winter residence
Monday is a day off. Tuesday - Friday - from 10.00 to 17.00,
break - from 13.00 to 14.00. Saturday - Sunday - from 10.00 to 16.00.
Phone: (81859) 5-32-56. Address: s. Yarensk, st. Dubinin, 1.
