TVER OBLAST, Russia â€" Dubbed the "Russian Woodstock," Nashestvie is a Russian rock-music festival that draws hundreds of thousands of locals to Tver Oblast, a region more than 150 kilometers northwest of Moscow.
Founded in 1999, the festival has featured military displays over the years, but they were usually limited to performances by the Russian Knights, the Russian Air Force's aerobatic display team. This year, however, the Russian military's presence expanded significantly at Nashestvie.
Some military-related events at the festival, included:
A major expo featuring tanks, armored personnel carriers and howitzers
Obstacle courses and a virtual shooting range
An air show that included a landing right in the middle of the festival crowd
The Russian army orchestra performing at the festival's opening ceremony
Survival courses, including how to build a hovel, or install an animal trap
Souvenir shops that sold t-shirts, including some with pictures of Russian President Vladimir Putin's face
An area for people to sign up for Russian military service
While some artists who performed at Nashestvie spoke out in favor of peace, and against the festival's collaboration with the army, during their shows, the majority of festivalgoers welcomed members of the Russian military.
Nashestvie's 2014 festival took place from Friday to Sunday. Check out photos of the event, below:
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