The City Day in Polotsk will be celebrated with historical reenactments, a 3D light show, and new exhibitions
The 1157th anniversary of the oldest city in Belarus will be celebrated from August 30 to September 1. The concept of the holiday is "Polotsk – the cradle of Belarusian statehood, the small homeland of a great country." The extensive program of events will be dedicated to this theme.
The international festival "On the Way from the Varangians to the Greeks," which will be attended by historical reconstruction clubs from Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, will offer an immersion into the medieval atmosphere. The Western Dvina River will become the arena for battles of warriors on drakkar ships. The light 3D show "Ancient Polotsk" will demonstrate how the city has changed throughout history. Guests of the festival will be able to attend master classes on ancient crafts, get acquainted with medieval fashion and music, and learn what dishes our ancestors prepared in everyday life and at lavish feasts.
The large-scale children and youth forum "Skaryna Days in Polotsk" will bring together several hundred participants from different parts of the country and abroad. Young intellectuals will showcase their knowledge during the "Skaryna Olympiad," demonstrate their talents in the rhetoricians' competition, and participate in the local history quest CODE "7 Keys" and the open tournament "Skaryna Games."
Historical open-air workshops will be held on the sites near the monuments to famous Polotsk residents. In the area of Freedom Square, schoolchildren and teachers will present the "Timeline" project. Street musicians will perform on Skaryna Avenue, the Belarusian Cuisine Festival will take place, and the City of Masters will be set up with master classes in carving, pottery, knitting, straw and vine weaving, and patchwork sewing.
All eleven museums in Polotsk will present new exhibitions and excursions, and libraries will organize the literary festival "In the Center of Europe". Sports enthusiasts can look forward to professional kickboxing and MMA fights "Slavic Cup" and a strongman tournament "Heroes of Belarus". Stars of Belarusian pop music and folklore ensembles from Latvia and Lithuania will take part in the concert programs. A mobile tourist information center will organize presentations of the tourist potential of Polotsk region.