NEW YORK, December 31. /TASS/. About 200 Fathers Frost and other characters of Russian folk tales participated in parades, organized for the first time in several U.S. cities, head of the society Russian Youth of America, Igor Kochan, told TASS on Sunday.
From east to west
"It is for the first time that the Fathers Frost’s parades were in several states," he said. "A wave of festive parades rolled from a city to city, crossing the country."
The biggest parade was in New York - it featured about one hundred fairy-tale characters. The parade participants marched across central Manhattan towards Times Square. Later on, similar events were in Orlando (Florida), San Francisco (California), Oklahoma City (Oklahoma), and on December 30 in Chicago (Illinois).
"Americans do not have the slightest idea about Father Frost, and our Fathers Frost here not only walk the streets - they talk to people, tell about Russian traditions and present Russian souvenirs."
The Americans meet Fathers Frost with enthusiasm, the parades’ participants say. "At first, they take Father Frost for Santa, though wearing a glamourous rich fur coat, but later on are delighted to hear about Russian New Year traditions, and even join us, dance and sing with us."
International Father Frost
This year, the parades featured international couples, where some American Fathers Frost were Mexicans, Italians, a Greek and a Serb. In the coming year 2018, organizers say, even more cities across the U.S. would host the parade. Russian-speaking residents in Albany (New York), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Detroit (Michigan) and others have announced they will participate in those events.
"Moreover, we hope, this march, which began in the U.S., would be organized in other countries, where Russians live, and Fathers Frost parades would become international," Igor Kochan said. "It is an amazing and kind way to tell about the Russian culture and traditions.".