Lake Baikal's top three summertime festivals

**Summertime **in Siberia is rich in outdoor events. It's no wonder. The weather is excellent, and the people are eager to **spend **most of their time outside. If you **travel **to **Baikal **during the summertime, you can join the **locals **and **visit **the top three summertime festivals on Lake Baikal.

The Strawberry Festival

The **Strawberry Festival **in the town of Baikalsk is a yearly **event **that happens on the shores of Lake Baikal. It attracts thousands of people from nearby cities and villages who come to the **lake **to eat plenty of fresh and ripe Baikal strawberries. The **locals also consider it to be the perfect time to buy this fruit and **make delicious strawberry jam for the winter. **Local **tip: go to the **festival **to eat the **berries **but also buy it in bulk to keep in your fridge for later.

The Strawberry Festival is not only about feasting on berries, but it is also a chance to enjoy some cultural events. There is a **yearly contest **in **Baikalsk **where girls participate to win the title of “The Best Strawberry Girl”. The **festival **has a strawberry pie tasting too! The pie, which every year becomes more massive to satisfy all the guests, is a typical **Siberian **delight to try during the festival! Insider's tip: try the black **strawberries **and the ones called "Victoria" by the locals.

Classical music festival: The Stars on Baikal

This festival, known in **Siberia **as the “Stars on Baikal”, is a yearly international event of **classical music **at Lake Baikal. The **festival **was first organized in 2004 by Denis Matsuev, who was the then head of the Irkutsk Musical Theater. There are usually lots of **performances **of **local **and foreign musicians, workshops and contests for the young talented children. The best place to visit to **participate **in the **festival **is the Irkutsk Musical Theater!

Yes! It's Food, the Gourmet Festival!

The last **summer weekend **is dedicated to the “Yes! It's Food Festival", which happens in many cities in Russia now. You can also participate in it while being in Irkutsk. Just visit the Youth Island. 

The concept of this festival is showing the gastronomy of the countries from Asia to both Americas. There are usually more than forty thousand people participating in it. Many local restaurants and cafes try to present their meals to the public. If you happen to be at the festival, try various cocktails, have a bite of Siberian and international cuisine, and see how new technologies help cooking the exciting meals! “Yes! It's Food” is the most expected and famous food festival in Russia! Don't hesitate to visit it! The best place to enjoy all the delicacies is to come to the Youth Island in Irkutsk in the early morning. 

No matter which activities you plan for your summertime in Siberia, don't miss these top three summertime festivals on Lake Baikal!