The Irkutsk City Day is held annually on the first Sunday of June. In 2017, the city will celebrate its 356th birthday. Among the events deserving special attention is the City Carnival. The carnival has been organized each year since 2010. The carnival has become a tradition. People prepare for it throughout the year. This year the city decided to dedicate the day to the families of Irkutsk. Here are some photos from the parade.
After the parade I head towards the Angara river to see what other events were going on. I caught a glimpse of some kids putting on a show.
I apologize for the video being the way it is and for separating them into two videos, but my phone decided to turn off while I was recording. Later in the evening I watched a performance by Igor Butman, a famous saxophonist. Butman just happens to be former President Bill Clinton’s favorite living saxophone player.
Butman has been and continues to be an inspiration for Russian youths seeking to play Jazz. Some of the students who attend musical schools here in Irkutsk performed as well.
It was an incredible experience! There was so much going on that I was unable to see it all. I am glad I was able to celebrate Irkutsk’s 356th birthday with the citizens of this wonderful city. I was able to get a feeling of unity among the people here and see how they all came together to support each other. I hope you enjoyed the post.
Until next time.