More than 52,000 people visited the XXII International Festival of Folk Arts and Crafts "Golden Khokhloma" in Semyonov.

      More than 52 thousand people participated in the XXII International Festival of Folk Arts and Crafts "Golden Khokhloma". The event took place with the support of the national project "Tourism and Hospitality" on June 20 and 21 in Semyonovo. The two-day celebration traditionally brought together artisans, artists, and guests from various regions of Russia and other countries. "The 'Golden Khokhloma' festival is the main venue for celebrating the Day of Folk Arts and Crafts in Russia. Each year, the event gains momentum: not only its geography expands, but also its program. This year, thanks to the support of the national project 'Tourism and Hospitality', the festival broke its own record, gathering more than 52 thousand guests. Over a thousand talented artisans and 58 folk crafts enterprises from 17 regions of the country, as well as guests from the Republic of Belarus, showcased their skills at the festival. Folk festivities, a fair, engaging master classes, performances by creative groups, and live communication with artisans — guardians of traditions — demonstrated that our national culture is limitless," said the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin. As noted by the Ministry of Tourism and Crafts of the region, the Day of Folk Arts and Crafts in Russia was established by a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in 2022. The initiative to establish the holiday at the federal level came from the Nizhny Novgorod region, where workers in the folk arts and crafts sector have been celebrating their professional holiday since 2013. "This year, we dedicated the festival to the 110th anniversary of the School of Artistic Wood Processing, which gave life to the 'Khokhloma Painting' factory. For the first time, we managed to unite the artisans in a single cluster in the central square and the factory itself. Along the road to the factory, there was an exhibition-sale, allowing guests to get acquainted with the works not only of folk arts and crafts artisans but also of representatives of various crafts. Compared to last year's festival, the number of visitors to the factory doubled, and the number of guests at the Semyonovo museums increased by 41 percent," said Sergey Yakovlev, the Minister of Tourism and Crafts of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The venues for the "Golden Khokhloma" festival were located throughout the city. In the square near Lenin Square, families could spend time together: guests were offered face painting and participation in active games. Guests enjoyed bubble shows, cryo-shows, and master classes in folk arts and crafts. For young visitors, attractions were available, theatrical performances took place, and free screenings of cartoons about folk crafts were held. On Sverdlova Street, there was a crafts fair, and an open-air art gallery operated in the square near the Center for Culture and Arts. During the festival, there was also a meeting with a native of Semyonovo, a player of the "Chaika" hockey club, Sergey Skvortsov. He held an autograph session and a master class on painting wooden hockey pucks. The city's museums welcomed guests with special exhibitions and guided tours. At the "Khokhloma Painting" factory, there were excursions, lectures, a large tea party from the Tsar samovar, and a pop-up modern art fair. A performance of "Matryoshka" took place right in the factory workshop. Additionally, for festival guests, an exhibition from the Russian University of Traditional Arts and Crafts was presented at the Center for Culture and Arts. It showcased the best works of graduates in various types of traditional crafts. The central venue for "Golden Khokhloma" was Lenin Square, where a fair of folk arts and crafts operated for two days, along with concerts. Folklore ensembles, folk performers, ethnic projects, and cover bands participated in these concerts. The highlight of the musical program on the first day was the performance of the group "Polyn Folk," "DJ Topchiy," and the festival headliners — the group "My Michelle."

      The second day of the celebration was complemented by the festival "Interethnic Round Dance of Traditions of the Nizhny Novgorod Region." Its organizer was the Council of Municipalities of the Nizhny Novgorod Region with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives and the regional branch of the United Russia party. Creative delegations from the Bor District, Chkalovsk, Dzerzhinsk, the Krasnooktyabrsky District, Gorodets, Balakhna, and Sharanga gathered at the festive venue. They presented their creative programs. The two-day festival program concluded with a performance by the Nizhny Novgorod Governor's Orchestra. Also, as part of the "Golden Khokhloma" festival, an athletics run was held at distances of 2, 5, 10, and 21.1 km. More than 350 people of different ages joined the sporting event. "With each year, 'Golden Khokhloma' becomes more and more grand thanks to the support of the regional government. For us, it is a key event in the event calendar, and it provides an excellent impetus for the development of the hospitality sector in Nizhny Novgorod and the entire Semyonovo District," emphasized Dmitry Poluektov, head of the local self-government of the Semyonovo District. Let us remind you that the national project "Tourism and Hospitality," initiated by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is aimed at developing tourist infrastructure, training personnel, promoting travel across the country, and improving service quality. It includes five federal projects: "Creation of accommodation facilities, infrastructure, and points of attraction," "5 seas and Lake Baikal," "Production of domestic products for the tourism industry," "Tourist attractiveness of the country," and "Personnel for tourism."