Fairy-tale characters from around Russia and Germany are gathering in Pereslavl-Zalessky, Russia, on Sunday, to greet summer and take part in the International Tourist Brand Festival. This is going to be the first such event to take place in Pereslavl. According to Svetlana Borovleva, chief specialist of the city's department of tourism, the festival is going to concur with the traditional 'Call to See Berendey' folklore art and craft festival.
Berendey is a fairy-tale Tzar, and city residents are actively setting up their local brand. Visiting the Tzar are the old witch Baba Yaga from Cucoboy, the Romanov sheep, the King and the Queen of the Land of Mice from Myshkin, Snegurochka from Kostroma, Father Frost Yamal-Iri from distant Salekhard and more characters.
'Last year, we all visited Snegurotchka's festival, and the event triggered a spate of invitations. Now we are witnessing a massed unification of fairy-tale tourist brands throughout Russia. We advertise each other, share experience, hold joint festivals and charity events', says Svetlana Borovleva.
She also added that they were aiming at international cooperation, so Weinachtsman – German Santa – has been called up to give international status to the festival. This event is expected to turn Pereslavl into a tourist mecca and attract visitors from different parts of Russia and abroad.