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The large-scale celebration took place in the city of Belinsky and was timed to coincide with a significant date – the 215th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding literary critic Vissarion Grigorievich Belinsky.
Traditionally, the festival gathered thousands of admirers of Russian literature. This year, the festival's guests included over 4 thousand residents and tourists of Penza Oblast. It is symbolic that the VIII Interregional Literary Festival "Belinskaya Vesna" was held in the city of Belinsky precisely on June 6 – Russian Language Day, which is dedicated to the birthday of Aleksandr Pushkin.
The event began with the awards ceremony for the laureates of the V.G. Belinsky Prize "I am a fighter in the world." "2026 is a special year because it is marked by the 215th anniversary of the birth of the 'furious Vissarion.' We must not only continue to promote Belinsky's work, but also preserve and promote the material and cultural heritage," noted in his welcoming address to the participants Acting First Deputy Chairman of the Government of Penza Region Oleg Yagov.
He also recalled the results of the work on preserving the critic's memory. Last year, after repair and restoration work, the cultural center "Belinsky" opened. In 2023, on the initiative of the Governor of Penza Oblast Oleg Melnichenko, and also thanks to the national project "Culture," which was succeeded by the national project "Family," the restoration of the merchant Antyushin's house, one of the buildings of the V.G. Belinsky State Museum-Estate, was carried out. In 2024, the museum received specialized multimedia equipment. The next stage was the creation of an updated literary exhibition "Knight of Russian Literature."
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Region Ildar Mavlyudov noted the region's growing tourist appeal. "Each of our municipalities is becoming more and more attractive for tourists every year. Today, several tourist groups came specifically to become part of this event. We see how our localities, the mood of tourists and local residents are changing for the better – and this is what we always strive for," he stated.
During the ceremony, the names of the laureates of the V.G. Belinsky Prize in the field of literary and theater criticism were announced. In the category "For creative achievements in literary criticism," the title of laureate was awarded to Russian poet, prose writer, publicist, critic, member of the Union of Writers of Russia Sergei Arutyunov (Moscow). In the category "For creative achievements in theater criticism," the prize was awarded to Professor of the Department of the History of Russian Literature and the Theory of Literature of Udmurt State University, teacher, member of the jury of the All-Russian Olympiad for Schoolchildren in Literature Tatyana Zvereva (Izhevsk). In 2024, in order to provide creative support to fellow countrymen of V.G. Belinsky trying their hand at criticism, a special category "Nadezhda" was established in the Prize. The title of laureate in this category was awarded to Anastasia Krutetskaya from Zarechny.
A participant of the special military operation, finalist of the "Heroes of Penza Krai" project Valery Zapalsky, speaking to the guests, emphasized the high mission of culture in the modern world. He noted that Belinsky was not only a great critic, but also a true patriot of his small homeland and Russia, and that culture and literature play a key role in shaping spiritual unity and patriotism.
For the festival guests, the atmosphere of the district town of Chembar of the 19th century was recreated once again on the city streets. There were market stalls, flower shops, and literary discussions. Belinskaya Street turned into a huge interactive area with quests and masterclasses. Those interested could take unusual photos in historical costumes and purchase decorative and applied arts items.
A highlight of the celebration was the performance by artists of the Olga Bukina Fashion Theater (Central Cultural Center "House of Officers"). The guests were presented with a collection of costumes dedicated to the genres of Old Russian literature and oral folk art, allowing spectators to meet heroes of fairy tales and epics.
Photo and information provided by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Penza Oblast.