Mark your calendars for a unique evening of culture and entertainment, arriving from the central Asian countries of Russia and Kazakhstan at the International Festival ‘Kalinka’, slated to take place on Friday, 1 November, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. at Sharjah’s unique outdoor destination, The Flag Island.

The festival has been brought back for a sixth run by The Flag Island after a spectacular debut earlier in March, and is the perfect opportunity for Russian and Kazakh expatriates in the UAE as well as all the cultural enthusiast across the nation to revel in an evening fully packed with top-quality entertainment presented by talented performers hailing from the two countries.

A stellar line-up of musicians, dancers and artists will be performing. The Korolev-based dance ensemble, ‘Sozvezdie Sharma’, who travelled to over 11 countries worldwide with their 200 multi-genre dance shows and 6 musical performances; the popular ‘Kotem’ chorus from Astana; Moscow dance troupe ‘Vaselinka’ who are famed for their national Russian and the ‘Kupavy folk music group’. A festival highlight are the ‘Yakutians’, a folk troupe from Russian Federation’s far northern republic of Sakha, who bring the lesser-known cultural heritage of the Evenki people alive through dance and musical performance, using ancestral instruments made from deer antlers.

Dubbed as the encyclopaedia of central Asian folklore, Kalinka, will have a variety of artistic styles and genre on offer, which will entertain and educate audiences on the region’s rich cultural and folk heritage.

Khuloud Salim Al Junaibi, General Manager of The Flag Island, stated: “Soon, The Flag Island will be providing families, children and audiences of all age groups and nationalities with a full spectrum of Central Asia’s most authentic styles and genres. The destination’s outdoor setting is perfect for enjoying Kalinka’s high-energy cultural performances. Given that good weather has returned to the UAE and the first five editions of the festival were a huge hit, we had to bring it back.”

The Flag Island aims to present healthy and fun activities throughout the year, turning the place into an exciting touristic destination. The Kalinka festival allows visitors an opportunity to engage with an ensemble of cultures they can enjoy, at no extra cost.