Even before the world athletes flock to the Russian Sochi for 2014 Olympic Games, the regions of Russia are going to practise the Olympic fever by holding the Olympic Games for folklore characters.
Scandinavian, British, and Ukranian folklore characters will be invited to compete with the Russian ones. Imagine Thor exercising his stone-throwing skills, or King Arthur participating in a running contest. The competition will include 10 different sportive activities, and will take place in 2012 in the region of either Kirov or Yaroslavl.
Incidentally, Kirov has recently witnessed the marriage ceremony of Kirimora and Domovoy, the two well-known folklore characters. Although it was widely assumed that the two were married all along, it was only this year – and for the first time in history – that the happy couple “officially” tied the knot.
These and many other events are part of the project The Fairy-Tale Map of Russia, aimed at connecting the folklore characters with towns and regions on the Russian map. Apart from reviving the interest in Russian culture, the organisers also hope the project positively affects the Russian tourism industry.
