On March 20, 2026, for 18 2nd grade students at Bolgar secondary school No. 1 an employee of the excursion management department of the Bolgar Museum-Reserve Rogachyova M.N. held a cultural and entertainment event “Larks arrived and brought spring” dedicated to the Vernal Equinox Day. The event was held to expand children’s knowledge of the history of the holiday and to arouse interest in Russian folk folklore.
The first spring festival, according to ancient Russian traditions, was the meeting of spring celebrated on different dates from March 1 to 25, depending on its arrival in certain regions of Russia. On the eve of the holiday, all the housewives baked figures of “larks” from dough, and in the morning they distributed them to the children. Kids were playing games on the street, singing short “spring songs”, thereby speeding up the arrival of spring.
During the event, the students watched the presentation and got acquainted with the history of the celebration of the Vernal Equinox, with the traditions and customs accompanying this holiday in Russia. The children learned about the main signs of the arrival of spring, about such concepts as “Vernal Equinox Day”, “larks”. The schoolchildren also, as in the old days, touted the spring – they shouted spring songs, actively guessed riddles about birds, and participated with great passion in ancient folk games. At the end of the event, everyone was treated to a traditional festive pastry called “larks”.