Prince's banquet in Lucesk the Great
The Prince's Banquet festival was held in Lutsk on June 10 to open the tourist season. The spirit of the Middle Ages, Prince Vytautas, honor, knights, traditional entertainment and dance songs - all were sustained in the style of the fifteenth century, when Lucesk hosted the Congress of European Monarchs.
The festival was attended by artists of the Volyn Drama Theater and Garmider, the choir "Oranta", our and invited groups from Lviv, the Equestrian Theater "Carriage Yard". The holiday went quite well, there was a lot of entertainment and workshops for children, knightly fights, a performance of the Equestrian Theater, medieval dances and music.
But about everything in order.
So, move for a while to the Middle Ages and feel like a subject of the Lithuanian Prince Vytautas…. 
16.45 Theater Square. Almost nothing foretells that in 15 minutes.
mass festivities should begin here (no posters, no stands, no inviting guests) - only a few passers-by, leisurely vacationers. But then there are knights in armor, Garmider artists in spectacular costumes, Herald with a "loudspeaker" (I do not know what this thing was called before) - and everything says that it will be a holiday. At the call of the Herald, people read to gather, huddle, but in the crowd every now and then one hears: "where are the horses? And what, there will be no horses ?! ".
What attracted the majority of spectators to this event was the news that the Equestrian Theater is to perform. Do not be surprised, we are not wild people, we saw all the rural horse workers, rode, but the Circus rarely comes to us, and only one Equestrian Club in the 200.000-strong city, and the one in the suburbs (who cares: Zmiinets, 5 km from Lutsk , CloverLand Equestrian Club, http://cloverland. com. com/ ). Therefore, it is very interesting to watch the performance of trained horses. And we waited for them for 5 minutes.
back to top The cavalry delegation enters the city!
The emergence of the Equestrian Theater
Каретний двори
The spectator moves to the main entrance of the Volyn Drama Theater, where he is already met by Starosta Luceska.
Starosta and Vytautas (Drama Theater artists)
17.00 The headman reads the Prince's Decree that "the Festival should be! ", and Prince Vytautas (drama artist) appears to the triumph of the masses. To the sounds of medieval music and accompanied by his mail, the Prince sits on a horse, followed by knights-guards, then honest people - and with this column we begin our festive march to the Grand Duke's Castle, where the whole party will take place.
Lithuanian Prince Vytautas with his retinue
To the melody of the bells of the Trinity Cathedral (it is here, on the Theater, the evening service has just begun), we, merry, march down the pedestrian street Lesya Ukrainka, gathering an even bigger party on the way. In Zluky Square near the Brotherhood Bridge, by order of local authorities (and our festival - under the auspices of the Department of Tourism), for the Prince, the post office and honest people even blocked traffic - not for long, no one was outraged, on the contrary - on the faces of many passengers and drivers was to read: "how, you celebrate something, and without us, and why we do not know??? ". This is the first puncture of this event - many residents, especially guests of Lutsk, simply did not know about this festival. There was very little information in the media, on posters, on the Internet, on the distribution of programs in the shopping center - because it was possible to better promote, think about, involve… but what now ...
We return to the old street of Bratkovsky and go out to the Peter and Paul Church, where the Prince is met by girls and paved his way with flowers. And here we have an elegant Castle Square, a beautiful Castle with impregnable towers, craftsmen, a banquet table for the subjects and a congratulatory ode to the Prince performed by the choir "Oranta". Then the popular coronation of Vytautas takes place, the key to the city is handed over to the guest of honor - and the holiday is declared open - let's go for a walk, gentlemen! )))
Oranta Chamber Choir
Greetings of the Prince on the Castle Square
Well, here's someone closer. The children immediately ran to various master classes: puppet theater, drawing, games, bagpipes, etc.
Young Knights
Puppet Theater
The older generation rushed to take communion and eat all sorts of delicacies and tinctures - good thing, a large "folk" table was set up, where you could feast. Also, various souvenirs, products, smithy - everything took place.
Ковал за работой
Young people, of course, surrounded the medieval ring, where knights' tournaments were held, and then it was possible to arrange a photo session with soldiers - these are the ubiquitous selfies))).
Knights Tournament
In addition, the younger generation fully studied and danced medieval dances.
Бляски
Well, for art connoisseurs, there were different bands on stage with the appropriate repertoire.
Dancing on the stage
The artists of the Lviv Equestrian Theater "Karetny Dvir" deserve a special word of gratitude - we have been waiting for you! Their performance was the first in the program, beautiful, spectacular, but short-lived. But their mission did not end there - all evening the boys, and adults, had the pleasure to ride on elegant "artistic" horses, even a pony was for the little ones))). Thank you very much, come to us again!
Performance of the Equestrian Theater
And here I was missing something, and I understood what - I wanted to look at all this action from a height! Need to look for an observation deck - and what to look for? - Here is the castle tower of Lubart (it is the Entrance, it is the tower that you see on your 200-hryvnia note). And I decided to storm.
I was not going to do fitness today (and there is a 27m, which is equal to a 10-storey building), but I had to remember the experience of a mountain conqueror - which you can not do for good photos.
Lubart Tower
As it turned out, I'm not the only one so smart. The Castle's box office was already in a frenzy - many wanted to go on a tour. And it's good that I had time, because the Castle is open only until 19.00! Very strange - the festival until 22.00, and the Castle on this day - until 19.00. People - you do not need money? ? ? There were a lot of people who wanted to, and the door was closed in front of them - are you serious? ? ? There were also guests from other cities who hoped to "kill two birds with one stone": to walk at the festival and see the castle - they are close, in the same style and theme. No, there will be no tourism in Lutsk for a long time, it's sad. What is "19.00" in the summer season, and even on the day of the festival, and even when full of people? ? ? And this is the second puncture of the event. The zoo is also open until 8 pm in summer, every day!
(By the way, we have a very interesting Zoo after reconstruction - https:// ru-ru. facebook. com / zoolutsk / , entrance 40 UAH / person). But something distracted me ...
Gathering all those who came and went, the guide told us a brief history of the castle and hurried to open the gate to the tower (more precisely, the tourists were persistently directed there). Entrance to the observation deck - only accompanied by a guide (20 UAH entrance to the castle + 10 UAH tower). The rise was not very noticeable, especially since there were stops in three halls with a tour of the exhibition. Although it is difficult to call them expositions: in one hall there is an exhibition of photos of Old Lutsk, in another - various ancient utensils, in the third - an exhibition of wrought iron sculptures, here it deserves attention.
It's a Parrot on a Swing)))
And here we are on the roof - beauty! I have been to the Castle many times, but I came here for the first time. What a beautiful city we have! Clean, quiet, cozy.
Especially beautiful now warm, green.
View of the courtyard of the Castle and Lutsk
But I went up for another purpose - here it is, Castle Square, with merry people, from the height of Lubart's tower.
Гулянка на Замкові
Castle Square in the Old Town
After going down, I took a walk around the Castle, took another photo, which I have a lot, found a novelty - a new museum "Technology of the Past", where accompanied by a guide you can visit the underground galleries of the Castle (they were used in ancient times. ), learn about ancient inventions and see how they worked, as well as various exhibitions. Login for add. opl. - 30 hryvnias. / People with a tour.
In general, on the territory of the Castle you have to pay separately for everything, there is no single ticket with a discount, so that the tourist does not take out his wallet at every step. I calculated that to visit the Castle with a guide, all its towers, museums, galleries, excavations - it costs about 100 UAH. / People
But I will return to the festival. Don't think that our people are hospitable, responsive, and no one kicked visitors out of the Castle at 7 pm - they worked until the last client. But they didn't let me in from the street anymore - why? Maybe I don't understand something?
And the square is already very fun, everyone found something to their liking. Here they shot a bow, studied calligraphy, and took pictures with artists in historical costumes.
Calligraphy Master Class
Артистки Гармідера
There were not enough, however, simple "medieval": ) Benches in the shade for relaxation (and the day seemed hot), and the stage was uncovered (do not envy the artists). And if the rain is the end of the festival? No covers, no shelters - the third puncture of the festival.
And finally, that disappointed me. Festival "Prince's Banquet", and medieval dishes were somehow not enough. The idea is good - a large common table, interesting seats made of straw, a few trays with ready-made delicacies, barbecue grill, liqueur, mead. Well, where are the master classes on cooking on an open fire according to old recipes, where there are big cauldrons and tastings (not one for the whole evening, but several different ones! ). Yes, it is true that the restaurant "Korona Vitovta" ( http://koronavitovta. com/ ) put up one cauldron with soup, and it is for the whole audience, and without a master class (later reported - 400 servings, but not in portions on the right, but in the action-show!
- the people did not come to eat, but to learn something new - this is the essence of tourism). After all, they specialize in old recipes - they could share several. But it didn't work out ...
Soup from the restaurant" Crown of Vytautas "
There was also no reasonable informational support - neither a large poster near the stage and around the perimeter with the program of the evening, nor the announcement of the festivals planned for this summer. Was it possible to set up a tent at the entrance-exit, where brochures-programs would be distributed, and to inform the guests about the planned events - where were the representatives of the TIC? ? ? Weren't they invited? ? ? Another puncture.
But in general - I liked the holiday, but there is still something to work on. And I especially liked the fact that the festival took place on the Castle Square, and not in the Castle itself, because I consider it blasphemous to dance on the foundations of the church and near the burials.
At the end of the festivities closer to 22.
00, there was supposed to be a fire show (and it was), but I didn't wait for it. I had my little anniversary today, and I hurried home to celebrate it at least at the end of the day))).
I want to say THANK YOU to the artists of the Garmider Theater ( http:// www. garmyder. org/ ), Lviv Equestrian Theater << a href = "http://karety. lviv. ua/"> http:// karety. lviv. ua / ), Craftsmen's workshops "Handicrafts" ( https:// www. facebook. com / groups / rukotvory. volyni / ), Knights of Lutsk and Lviv (" Prince's Fun ", " Aina Bera ", " Black Halych ") - because they" made "this holiday and they were taught throughout the evening.
Garmider Theater Studio
П. S. Announcement of the most interesting festivals in Lutsk for 2017. :
June 30 - July 2 - song festival-competition "STAR WAVES OF LIGHT", meeting place - Lake Svityaz, tract Hryada, Shatsky district.
Night from July 1 to 2 - "Night in Lutsk Castle", meeting place - Lutsk Castle.
July 8-09 - beauty festival "Volyn Princess", meeting place - Lutsk Castle.
July 21-23 - Joker Fest electronic music festival, meeting place - Svityaz Lake, Hryada tract, Shatsky district, start - at 15.00.
July 29-30 - gastro-fest Lutsk Food Fest, meeting place - Lutsk Castle.
August 04-06 - patriotic festival "Banderstadt", meeting place - p. Rovantsi near Lutsk, on the banks of the Styr River ( http://bandershtat. org/a>), beginning at 4 p. m.
August 25 - City Day, meeting place - Theater Square and Lutsk Castle.
August 25-27 - Art Jazz Cooperation Festival, meeting place - Lutsk Castle.
September 9-10 - 2nd Beer and Meat Festival, meeting place - Lutsk Castle, beginning at 11.00.
September 15-17 - Traveling Hanger Theater Festival, organized by Garmider Theater, program on their website ( http:// www. garmyder. org/ ).
September 17 - 5th Festival of National Cuisine, meeting place - Central Park of Culture and Recreation. Lesya Ukrainka in Lutsk.
September 23-24 - TO THE DAY OF TOURISM, 5th Tourist Festival-Competition of Author's Song, Photo and Amateur Cinema "Sails of Adventures". More information from the organizers: tel. +38 (067.332-93-34, https:// uk-ua. Facebook. Com / events / 338406379947859 /. Meeting place and shows - Palace of Culture at 1 B. Khmelnytskoho Street (Theater Square).
October 14 - Festival "Steel Hearts", meeting place - Castle Square.
Closer to the date, events in Lutsk can be viewed here: http:// afisha. lutsk. ua / events.
Welcome to Ancient Lucesk!
