It was Cucumber Day in Suzdal. For some time now, this ancient Russian city greets the lovers and connoisseurs of this seemingly-lowly vegetable. Large and small, green and yellow, salted and pickled, the cucumber has gathered around itself a crowd of admirers. Agronomists, dacha gardeners, and farming specialists showed off the best specimens of their cucumber crop.
******
On Cucumber Day, Suzdal undergoes a transformation. folk ensembles come to perform at holiday concerts throughout the city.
******
Cucumbers are on display everywhere… you can take a picture posing as a cucumber, buy souvenirs, you can learn and share recipes, or you could just try new varieties of this vegetable.
******
Tasting of salted cucumber tasting at the Suzdal festival.
******
Tasting different kinds of cukes is one of the most enjoyable things that you can do at the fest.
******
There are all sorts of competitions at the fair, amongst which is pillow fights.
******
Of course, the judges choose the champion cukes of the festival… the longest and the most twisted vegetables receive prizes.
******
There’s even a Cucumber Pageant…
******
A vegetable sculpture made from cucumbers.
******
Cukes appeared in Russia about seven centuries ago… now, that was a good thing!
******
17 July 2011
Voice of Russia World Service
Voices From Russia, Too 
You must be logged in to post a comment.