Maslenitsa festival ends in Moscow.

MOSCOW, February 14 (Itar-Tass) - A colourful carnival will mark the
end of winter in the Russian capital on Sunday. It's being held in Moscow
for the ninth time. The merry procession will move from the Triumfalnaya
Square along Tverskaya Street to the Vasilyevsky descent near the Kremlin.
It was there that the 'Maslenitsa town' - the epicentre of merriment and
gluttony - has been working for the whole week.
Anyone will be able to join the carnival in which heroes of Russian
fairy tales, circus performers, clowns and musicians will also take part.
Russian pop stars will give concerts on Sunday, the last day of the
town's work.
Maslenitsa will end with a symbolic burning of a doll, which
symbolizes winter.
"Since it's strictly forbidden to set up bonfires within the city
boundaries, special effects will be used to transform the scarecrow
symbolizing aging winter into young spring," a representative of the
Moscow mayor's office said.
The Moscow Maslenitsa festival has been officially included in the
catalogue of famous international festivals and holidays of Europe and the
world.
-0-fil