Festivals in Russia

Russia has a versatile culture and various small- and large-scale events are held throughout the year across the country. Some of the important festivals in Russia have gained international recognition and are big dates on the global cultural agenda.

One of these festivals in Russia is the Moscow International Film Festival which was first held in 1935 and became regular starting in 1959. It is the world’s second oldest film festival after the Venice International Film Festival and is frequented by prominent directors, producers, and actors.

One of the younger festivals in Russia is the Sochi Open Russian Film Festival, mostly known by the name Kinotavr, first held in 1991. The festival is a showcase for Russian-language movies.

Music festivals in Russia are also highly popular. One the largest ones is Nashestvie—an open-air festival of Russian rock music often dubbed in the media as “Russian Woodstock”.

Also well-known in Russia and internationally is the Moscow Easter Festival which showcases classical music and has been held since 2002.