The First Lady watched children’s games, joined the children in singing and dancing together, and visited the wooden palace of Tsar Alexei (1629–1676), which recreates seventeenth-century interiors.
Mrs Medvedeva wrote in the guests’ book afterwards: “Thank you very much for the restored palace. It makes for an interesting visit and wonderful impressions.”
The guests then watched a performance and ended the celebrations over various treats at the table.
The First Lady acted as patron for the Happy Maslenitsa charity project. The Social and Cultural Initiatives Foundation and the Department for International Programmes, together with the Kolomenskoye Park and Museum organised the celebrations for almost 100 children from children’s homes in Moscow and the Moscow Region.
Maslenitsa began on February 28 in Russia. The holiday precedes the start of Lent for the Russian Orthodox faithful. The tradition during the Maslenitsa week is to bake plenty of pancakes (blinis), which symbolise the sun and coming of spring.