Bike fest at Balkhash lake

International Bikers Festival Preserve Balkash took place at the shore of Lake Balkhash on July 15. The festival is called to help develop tourism in Kazakhstan and attract attention to the ecological problems of the lake. The festival included a bikers’ parade, performances of stunts on bikes, concerts by Kazakh rock groups and a parade of brides.

The event was attended by 4 thousand people. According to administration of the resort, the gursts drank 3.5 thousand liters of beer and 500 liters of kvas (a fermented beverage made from black or regular rye bread).

Lake Balkhash is one of the largest lakes in Asia and 12th largest continental lake in the world. But the lake is shrinking because of the diversion of water from the rivers that feed it. The shallowing is especially evident in its western part.

©Roza Yessenkulova

Every biker gets a girl! ©Roza Yessenkulova

Bike-parade in Balkhash. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Guests dressed up in the funniest costumes. ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

Balkhash residents saw brides on bikes. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Inessa Boikova and Aleksandr Afrikanov got married on July 16. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Bride Anetta posed for photographers. ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

Many people wanted to give Anetta a ride. ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

There are different types of wedding dresses, long and short. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Pirates of Balkhash. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Journalists of Tan and Tengrinews.kz

The parade in Balkhash gathered the residents on a square. ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

Young bikers in leather jackets and bandanas attended the fest as well. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Men shook the balls. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Main informational sponsor of the fest. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Karlson host joked and amused the guests. ©Roza Yessenkulova

A kid trying to find beer in barrels. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Tasty plov is prepared in Balkhash. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Strip-show caused furious reaction of men. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Some brought their dogs with them. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Kazakhstan celebrities: biker Dmitry Petrukhin and blogger Aleksandr Lyakhov (Uncle Shal). ©Roza Yessenkulova

Water is warm, sun is scorching, but there is no infrastructure. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Roma Shevelev from Almaty won motocross. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Bikers’ tournament on dusty hills. ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

A daughter cheering for her father. ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

There are even such glamorous bikers and bikes. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Rock from dusk till dawn. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Residents of Balkhash gathered for annual bike-parade. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Some of the kids were not impressed with the parade. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Wedding of Afrikanova and Boikova. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Exchanged rings, now ready for wedding and registration. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Shaving balloons before marriage. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Shaving balloons before marriage. ©Roza Yessenkulova

The guests had to use these toilets. ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

Cottage, Junior Suite. Room for three people costs 12 thousand tenge ($80). ©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

©Roza Yessenkulova

Balkhash lake. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Guests drank 3.5 thousand liters of beer. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Organizer of bike-fest Dmitry Petrukhin. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Biker in Kazakh national costume. ©Roza Yessenkulova

Sedentary life. ©Roza Yessenkulova