"Paradise Garden" and a loaf of bread from the oven. What are the trade and public catering enterprises of the Vitebsk region preparing for the festival?
Consumer cooperation has become a companion to "Slavianski Bazaar". Annually, trade rows and public catering tents are set up at the arts forum. City residents and visitors enjoy sitting at tables on the festive streets, treating themselves to hot shashlik, and buying souvenirs in memory of hospitable Vitebsk.
As explained by Galina Nikitina, head of the trade department of the regional consumer union, over the past few years, a format for consumer cooperation's participation in serving guests and participants of the festival has been determined. This year, district consumer unions and wholesale bases will be located at 6 central city venues: in Victory Park, on Kalinin, Pushkin, Tolstoy, Lenin, and Suvorov streets. 150 pavilions and tables with more than 3,500 seats will be set up here, and about 600 employees will be involved.
– Each of the 21 organizations comes up with an original design for its stalls, using festival symbols and regional attractions. For example, Braslav district consumer union will present the lake region, featuring nets and other fishing gear. Tolochin district, famous for its apple orchards, will invite guests to "Paradise Garden", while Beshenkovichi district will set up a stove and a huge loaf of bread. The exhibits will feature folklore motifs, and vendors will wear national costumes, – says Galina Vasilievna.
Cooperative members are also preparing cultural and entertainment programs. How can there be a "fair" without jesters, barkers, and fairground raffles! There are many talented individuals among the industry workers; each district has its own performers, so the stalls will feature singing, dancing, and in a word, entertaining the people.
The festival runs around the clock, and the торговые ряды (trading rows) do not close at night or early in the morning. What if a guest gets hungry returning from a late concert or wants to greet the dawn with a cup of coffee on the banks of the Dvina River.
– Food products, gifts of nature, and items under the "Belkoopsoyuz" brand will be presented in a wide assortment at the торговые точки (trading points). Presentations of products manufactured by industrial enterprises and public catering facilities, tastings, and exhibition sales are planned. In particular, sausages and smoked meats, confectionery, and bakery products. The Ushachi Vegetable Drying Cannery will offer "Vechele" mineral water and non-alcoholic beverages, and the "Sharkovshchyna Cannery" branch will offer birch and other juices, – notes Galina Nikitina.
Products with the logo of «Belkoopsoyuz» will attract the attention of buyers: «Rodny Kut» chocolate, «Kstati» mineral water, «Nashe» ice cream, «Molochnoye lakomstvo» candies, «Starazhyty» kvass, «Zhygulevskoye» beer. The assortment includes a huge selection of culinary products, including those prepared in front of customers. Many consumer cooperatives have acquired special equipment for preparing barbecue, as well as grills for shashlik, and grills for meat and fish steaks. Pies with various fillings will also be served hot off the grill.
Guests and participants of the festival will not pass by products from the «Healthy Eating» series, and will want to try cakes and cupcakes that include carrots, beets, broccoli, and other vegetables.
– For convenience, cashless payment is provided – each sales booth will be equipped with terminal equipment for payment by bank plastic cards, – says Galina Nikitina.
She invites everyone during the «Slavianski Bazaar» to visit the hospitable trade town of Vitebsk consumer cooperation and promises that visitors will leave full and satisfied.
Tatyana Pasternak, "Vitebskiye Vesti"