Celebrate Maslenitsa this Saturday at the Estonian Open Air Museum

Text Mark Taylor
Photo Philippe Murray-Pietsch / Unsplash

This Saturday, March 16, you will be able to celebrate and learn about the Christian traditions of Maslenitsa at the Estonian Open Air Museum. At the event, you will be able to listen to folk music, tell your fortune from the shape of pancakes, and watch winter chased away with the burning of a straw doll.

The Eastern European tradition of Maslenitsa, which is also referred to as Butter Week and Crepe Week, is taking place this week (March 11-17). To mark the occasion, the Estonian Open Air Museum in Tallinn will be holding a special event this Saturday.

As with Maslenitsa tradition, the centrepiece will be the burning of a straw doll, which signifies the chasing away of winter. You will also be able to enjoy traditional food too, namely pancakes and vatrushka pastries. The former that you can both tell your fortune from or use to take part in a pancake throwing competition

At the event you will also be able to hear traditional folk music from the Setu traditional choir ‘Sõsarõ’ and  Slavic ensemble ‘Kvitka’, enjoy tea brewed in samowars, and much more.

To learn more about Maslenitsa at the Estonian Open Air Museum, visit the official museum website here. 

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Butter Week Estonian Open Air Museum Folk Music Maslenitsa Setu Slavic Christian Traditions Tallinn Vatrushka