Russian Americans Celebrate Maslenitsa in the United States

Russian Americans wrapped up Maslenitsa celebrations with traditional festivities to mark the beginning of Lent in the Russian Orthodox Church and to welcome the end of winter and the approaching spring. In Houston, Texas the United Russian American Association held a gathering that included a burning of the Maslenitsa scarecrow known as Kostroma, a ceremony once thought to fertilize the ground for crops. There are an estimated 70,000 Russian Americans in the Houston area, and roughly 3.1 million across the United States, according to the US Census Bureau.

The Maslenitsa celebration by the United Russian American Association in Houston, Texas on Saturday, March 9 included a competition for the best bliny, a Russian pancake made from butter, eggs and milk, and served with a variety of sweet or savory fillings.

Traditional Russian folk music was part of the Maslenitsa celebration sponsored by the United Russian American Association in Houston, Texas.

Anna Belaschenko and her daughter Elena, 3, are part of a Russian folk dance ensemble that performed at the Russian Embassy in Washington on Friday, March 15 as part of the embassy’s annual Russian Mardi Gras Maslenitsa celebration. Belaschenko said she moved to the United States from Russia 24 years ago and wants to expose her children to their cultural heritage.

Russian folk dancers entertained a crowd of about 300 people at the Russian Embassy in Washington on Friday, March 15 as part of the embassy’s annual Russian Mardi Gras Maslenitsa celebration. Funds raised from the event will go to help the needy through the Russian Orthodox Cathedrals of St. Nicholas and St. John the Baptist, which helped to sponsor the event.

Diana Haverlack wore a mask to the Russian Embassy’s annual Russian Mardi Gras Maslenitsa celebration in Washington on Friday, March 15. Haverlack is a third generation Russian-American whose grandparents came to American from Russia in 1904.

The Maslenitsa Committee presented Sergei Kislyak, Russian Ambassador to the US, with several gifts to express their appreciation at the Russian Embassy’s annual Russian Mardi Gras Maslenitsa celebration in Washington on Friday, March 15. Kislyak told the crowd Maslenitsa is about “people to people,” and a celebration of friendship. The Embassy has hosted a Maslenitsa celebration since 2000.

Princess Marina Poutiatine was the organizer of the Russian Embassy’s annual Russian Mardi Gras Maslenitsa celebration in Washington on Friday, March 15. She is a direct descendant of the Rurik Dynasty, which ruled Russia until the 17th century. She wore a traditional sarafan gown and a kokoshnik headpiece handmade in 1917 and worn by her grandmother, who fled Russia with her family during the Bolshevik Revolution.