Last weekend, the Altai Krai officially opened its winter tourism season. The "Altai Wintering" festival took place in seven cities and 10 districts across the region. For the first time this year, the "Biryuzovaya Katun" Special Economic Zone served as the main venue for the festival. On December 1st, the organizers prepared a rich program for the guests of "Turquoise Katun".
Craftsmen presented magnets with the symbols of the "Altai Wintering" festival. A large skating rink was open, where everyone could skate or play curling. A Christmas tree, the symbol of the New Year, sparkled with colorful balls. In the skies above the "Turquoise Katun," paramotorists performed a demonstration. Athletic skills could be tested in bassaball—a mix of football, volleyball, and acrobatics.
The Altai Father Frost's residence was open to children. Young guests enjoyed chatting and taking photos with the main storyteller, participating in games, and sledding. They could warm up, drink tea, and grab a snack in the footbath area. In addition to the main area located on the main walkway, festival guests visited various points of the Turquoise Katun Festival, including the Tavdinsky Caves, the observation mountain, the ski resort, and the wooden sculpture park. Free shuttle buses were available for this purpose.
On December 2nd, the "Altai Wintering" festival continued at the Lebediny Nature Reserve. Flocks of these birds flock to the ice-free lakes of the Sovetsky District every year. The swan is the symbol of the "Altai Wintering" festival. Leisurely birdwatching is the main activity for which guests come to the lake. Without human intervention and supplementary feeding, such a large number of birds would not be able to successfully winter among the Siberian snows. For comparison, in 2013, 350 birds wintered at the reserve. Today, there are approximately 700 birds on the lake.
This year, Vladimir Nikulinsky, a ranger at the Lebediny Nature Reserve, received a long-awaited snowmobile, purchased with annual sponsorship from Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk. The commercial organization has taken over the reserve and is gradually developing and strengthening its resources, promoting environmental protection and animal welfare.
Barnaul hosted seminars, roundtable discussions, and exhibitions. A sports festival was held on the Maria-Ra Health Trail. Belokurikha hosted the "Snezhny Kom" festival, alpine skiing competitions, and a regional hockey tournament. Nordic walking enthusiasts competed in Yarovoye and Rubtsovsk. The Zarinsky District organized the "Snegiriada in the Salair Taiga" festival, while the Biysky District hosted a "Winter Fairytale" at Legend Park. In addition to the cultural program, the Sovetsky District hosted hockey competitions. The Zmeinogorsk District hosted motor-ski races, and the Altaysky District hosted cross-country skiing competitions. Other events as part of the "Altai Wintering" festival were held in Biysk, Zmeinogorsk, Kamen-na-Obi, Bystroistoksky, Pervomaysky, and Smolensky Districts.
Source: trn-news.ru