The celebrations are full of various events, the list of which is approved by the authorities. They begin in the Alexander Garden. Wreaths are laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, monuments associated with World War II. The action is led by top government officials, including the head of state.
As midday approaches, the event opens on Red Square. The president speaks there, congratulating him on the memorable date. Anyone who has received a personal invitation can participate in the ceremony.
The holiday moves to parks and squares. Excursions, competitions in various sports, festivals, and exhibitions are organized. Creative groups perform. Children and their parents are invited to the rides and games. In the evening, colorful fireworks thunder.
Moscow City Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of September. The holiday date is enshrined in the Appendix to the Moscow Government Decree No. 353-PP dated August 9, 2011. In 2021, the celebrations fall on September 4th.
City information
Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation. It is located on the river of the same name, in the European part of the country. There are many important transport facilities here: river, airports, train stations, metro. Most of the buildings are of cultural and historical value. Some of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The city includes 12 administrative districts, to which districts and settlements belong. The population is one of the largest in the world. It numbers more than 12 million people and increases every year.
The infrastructure is not prepared for such a number of people. The problem is manifested in daily traffic jams. The settlement became the center of business and economic life of the state. The largest commercial enterprises have representative offices here.
Where to go on City Day?
Festivals
On September 11 and 12, everyone will be able to take part in creating their own flower arrangements at 17 venues in Moscow as part of the Flower Jam festival. The competition is held between amateur gardeners who, alone or in a team of up to two people, will create their own unique landscape project. Details of the event are here.
In addition, as part of the festival, flower installations by the finalists of the landscape competition of previous years, as well as new green compositions and art objects, will be installed at 35 city sites in the capital. Moscow restaurateurs will offer guests their original dishes and desserts. And at the fairs you can buy original preserves, marmalade and souvenirs.
The Tsaritsino Museum-Reserve will host the IV Festival of Historical Gardens. This year it is dedicated to the theme “In Search of the Russian Garden”. In the open air you will be able to see more than 10 landscape compositions. The parallel program of the festival will be held online - on the YouTube channel and social networks. On September 12 at 12.00 there will be an exhibition of ceramics “Ceramic Picnic”. Festival details here.
Libraries
The capital's libraries and cultural centers also offer master classes, excursions, lectures and performances on City Day.
September 11 at 13.00 library-reading room named after A.S. Pushkin on the streets of Moscow there will be an excursion “In search of Pushkin’s birthplace”. The guide will tell you why until 1847 it was believed that the future classic was born in St. Petersburg, when in fact he was born in Moscow. Registration is required to attend the event.
On the same day at 14.00 in children's library No. 177 for schoolchildren aged 8–13 years there will be a virtual tour of the first Moscow metro stations, built in 1935–1945. The screens will show old photographs of Smolenskaya, Sokolniki, Komsomolskaya and other stations, and tell interesting facts about the construction and the architect who designed the station to the music of Bach. Registration by phone.
On September 11 at 17.00 on the stage of the House of Culture “Stimul” the play “Provincial Anecdotes. Twenty minutes with an angel." The production combines two one-act plays by Alexander Vampilov - “The Story with the Master Page” and “Twenty Minutes with an Angel.” The play takes place in the 1960s in a hotel room in the northern city of N. The audience is treated to a tragicomic story about a business trip of two colleagues who find themselves in a hopeless situation. Free admission.
On September 12 at 15.00 the Central City Business Library invites you to a tour of the Alekseevsky and Ostankino districts and the Rostokino district. Residents will be introduced to the history of the creation of the sculptural composition “Worker and Collective Farm Woman”, the memorial to the “Conquerors of Space” and the Rostokinsky Aqueduct. Pre-registration is required.
What will the weather be like in Moscow on City Day? More details
Museums
On City Day, exhibitions of more than 80 city museums will be open to free admission (without a guide). Their list is on the website of the Moscow Directorate for the Development of Cultural Centers.
For example, on September 11 and 12 at 12.00, 14.00 and 17.00, the Ilya Glazunov Gallery organizes a sightseeing tour of the Museum of the Estates of Russia. Its interiors and exterior were made according to the sketches of the People's Artist of the USSR. The exhibition is based on the master’s personal collection, dedicated to Russian culture of the 18th – early 20th centuries. To attend the tour you must register. And on September 11 at 15.00 a master class will be held here, participants will create an autumn landscape using the technique of plasticineography (drawing pictures with plasticine). Registration by phone.
Gogol's House invites children over six years old and their parents to go on an ethnographic musical journey. The performance “Musical Instruments and Songs of the Peoples of the World” will begin on September 11 at 18.00. Participants will see and hear a tin whistle, a hurdy-gurdy, a kalimba, a pita, a pimak and other unusual instruments. The program includes Russian, Finnish, Eskimo, Indian, Irish, and African music. Entry requires pre-registration.
The Garden Ring and V.A. Tropinin museums invite those wishing to take a quest trip on Saturday. You can go either on foot or on a scooter (you need to take it with you). The route is dedicated to outstanding Muscovites of the 19th century. Starts at 14:00 at the Garden Ring Museum. Participation by pre-registration.
On September 11 and 12, the “Model of Moscow” pavilion at VDNKh will host a new lighting show “I Walk Through Moscow,” which will be broadcast every 30 minutes. On a twelve-meter video stand, viewers will see night and day views of the city and stroll through its streets and parks. This was reported by the Moscow Department of Urban Development Policy.
Movie
For cinema lovers, the Moskino cinema chain has prepared special screenings.
On September 11 at 15.00 the military-historical film club will open at the Khudozhestvenny cinema. The project program includes viewing and discussion of domestic historical films. Before the screenings, you will be able to listen to lectures by historians and film experts. At the opening, viewers will see the film “Moscow Sky” by Yuli Raizman. Its premiere took place on June 1, 1944. The film will be presented by the curator of the program and the host of the film club, journalist and historian Grigory Pernavsky. In the future, film club sessions will be held at the Zvezda cinema.
During the holiday weekend you will be able to watch classics of Soviet cinema on big screens. On September 11, at the Fakel cinema at 12.00, the film by Georgy Danelia “I Walk Through Moscow” (1963) will be shown. You can register for the show on the Moskino website. And on September 12 at 15.00 you can see Vladimir Menshov’s painting “Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears” (1979). Pre-registration is also required to visit; the show will take place at the Zvezda cinema.
Where to watch fireworks on City Day in Moscow in 2021? Infographics Read more
Theaters
On September 11 at 15.00 you can attend an open rehearsal of the play “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” at the Ermolova Theater. The premiere of the production based on the work of the same name by Nikolai Leskov will take place on September 18. The registration link will appear on the theater’s website, as well as on its pages on social networks.
On the same day there will be a tour of the Et Cetera Theater. Participants will be able to stand on stage, go behind the scenes, and visit the workshops where sets and props, props and actors’ costumes are created. The tour starts at 16:00. Pre-registration is required; the link will be posted on the theater’s website, as well as on its pages on social networks.
“Theatrium on Serpukhovka” under the direction of Teresa Durova invites you to watch the play “In a Lively Place” based on the play of the same name by Alexander Ostrovsky on September 11 at 19.00. You can register on the website and on the theater’s social media pages.
In the evening of the same day, the concert “Johannes Brahms. About eternal love." Romances and songs written to the music of the composer will be performed. Pre-registration by email Starts at 20:00.
On Sunday, September 12, young actors of the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop theater will read poems about Moscow and sing songs dedicated to the capital. The concert will take place in a small hall on the new stage, starting at 14.00. Registration will be available on the theater’s website and on its social media pages.
In addition, for the 200th anniversary of the birth of the writer Fyodor Dostoevsky, which will be celebrated on November 11, 2021, the capital’s cultural institutions have prepared about 180 thematic events that will be held in the fall. On September 14, a virtual exhibition “Ilya Glazunov and Fyodor Dostoevsky. To the 200th anniversary of the birth of Fyodor Dostoevsky." And on September 18 at 17:00, a series of lectures “The Hidden Pages of Dostoevsky” will open in library No. 180 named after Fedorov.
The final program of celebrations will be approved closer to the event itself.
History of Moscow
The history of Moscow begins in the 12th century. The founding date of the city is considered to be 1147. This was facilitated by the decision of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Yuri Dolgoruky. The ruler created a settlement protecting the borders of North-Eastern Rus'. A guard fort was erected here.
The settlement began to grow rapidly, becoming the capital of the Russian state. This status was lost at the beginning of the 18th century. and transferred to St. Petersburg. The city suffered many times from wars. In 1918 it again became the center of the RSFSR and received rapid development. In 1991, events occurred that contributed to the emergence of the Russian Federation.
When is it celebrated?
Moscow Day has been changed and postponed several times. It was first held in 1847 in honor of the 700th anniversary of the founding of the city. The events were planned for the spring, because... The city was first mentioned in chronicles on April 4, 1147. But the emperor moved the date to January 1.
The next time the 800th anniversary was celebrated under Joseph Stalin was in 1947 on September 7th. The celebration was grandiose, in honor of it they even established a medal “In honor of the 800th anniversary of Moscow.”
Rice. 1. Celebration in 1947
City Day was celebrated for the third time on September 19, 1986. The initiator was the first secretary of the city committee of the CPSU Boris Yeltsin. The celebration opened with a solemn demonstration of workers on Red Square.
In 1988-1990 the date was celebrated every year in September, in 1991 - on August 31. These holidays were held modestly, mainly at the expense of sponsors.
On September 6-7, 1997, the 850th anniversary of the capital was again celebrated on a large scale. From that time on, the holiday began to be celebrated regularly.
In 2000, the city's day was seriously overshadowed by a number of tragic events that occurred in August. The holiday was shortened. In 2004, it was canceled altogether due to the events in Beslan, when terrorists seized a school with children.
Now the date of the holiday is chosen between the 1st and 2nd Saturday of September. This feature was determined by the decree of the mayor of the capital Sergei Sobyanin, issued in 2021. This was done so that the event did not coincide with days of mourning.
Concert on Red Square in 2021
Coat of arms
The symbol of the subject of the Russian Federation has undergone numerous changes. The modern coat of arms of Moscow depicts St. George the Victorious in armor, riding a silver horse. The horseman, turned to the right of the viewer, strikes the black serpent, holding a golden spear in his right hand.
The composition is made on a dark red shield (width to height ratio 8:9). It bears similarities to the 1781 version. The author is K. Ivanov. Supporters of Orthodoxy criticize the artist for the inconsistency of the image of the saint with the canonical one: he lacks a halo. Heraldry is enshrined in the relevant law.
Notable natives and residents
- Vladimir Vysotsky, iconic Soviet bard, artist and poet;
- Vyacheslav Kotenochkin, animator director, creator of the best Soviet cartoons;
- Valery Rubakov, famous scientist, theoretical physicist, researcher of elementary particles;
- Valery Kharlamov, athlete, best hockey player of the USSR;
- Peter I, the first Russian emperor;
- Jacob Bruce, associate of Peter I, cartographer, scientist;
- Alexander Griboyedov, classic writer, diplomat, who died at the hands of Muslim fanatics in Tehran;
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, classic of literature, one of the most famous Russian writers;
- Mikhail Lermontov, the second most important Russian poet after Pushkin;
- Andrei Mironov, famous Soviet artist. Films with his participation still remain among the favorites of domestic viewers.
Theatrical backstage and the sky in lights
On September 11 at 15:00 you can attend an open rehearsal of the play “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” at the Ermolova Theater. The premiere of the production based on the work of the same name by Nikolai Leskov will take place on September 18. The registration link will appear on the theater’s website, as well as on its pages on social networks.
On the same day there will be a tour of the Et Cetera Theater . Participants will be able to stand on stage, go behind the scenes, and visit the workshops where sets and props, props and actors’ costumes are created. The tour starts at 16:00. Pre-registration is required; the link will be posted on the theater’s website, as well as on its pages on social networks.
And the “Theatrium on Serpukhovka”, under the direction of Teresa Durova, invites you to watch the play “In a Lively Place” based on the play of the same name by Alexander Ostrovsky on September 12 at 19:00. You can register on the website and on the theater’s social media pages.
On September 12, the concert “Johannes Brahms. About eternal love." Romances and songs written to the music of the composer will be performed. Pre-registration by email: [email protected] Starts at 20:00.
On Sunday, September 12, young actors of the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop theater will read poems about Moscow and sing songs dedicated to the capital. The concert will take place in a small hall on a new stage, starting at 14:00. Registration will be available on the theater’s website and on its social media pages.
One of the most memorable moments of the celebration will be fireworks. They will be launched at 26 city sites, including parks. The bright show will begin on September 11 at 21:00.
Festive events at VDNKh
Moscow City Day.
Photo: AGN Moscow Here Moscow City Day 2021 began at 10.00 with a master class on yoga and exercise in Ostankino Park. From 10.00 to 22.00, children's master classes on skateboarding, scooters and balance bikes were held on the site behind pavilion No. 1.
It was possible to go on excursions to the main exhibition: “VDNKh - the miracle of Moscow” (10.30 and 13.00), “The main exhibition of the country. Past, present, future " ( 11.00). From 11.00 to 18.30, Pavilion No. 55 hosted the Unmanned Aviation Championship “Aviarobotech - Start”. And at the “Robostation” from morning to evening there are master classes and entertainment programs with the participation of robots.
Where to go on City Day on September 12: program for the second day of the holiday
Bike tour, concert at the Helikon Opera and fair: our complete guide to the events of the second day of the Moscow City Day 2021 celebration
View program
Those who like to tickle their nerves were waiting from 11.00 to 21.00 on Industry Square. The VDNKh Cup in extreme sports was held there. And those who have long dreamed of mastering the basics of graffiti could come to the site between Pavilion No. 4 and Food Coat from 11.00 to 21.00 for master classes on fashionable spray painting.
At the Moscow Transport Museum, one could learn many interesting facts about the most popular Soviet car on a tour of the “Muscovite’s Dream” exhibition. In the “Moscow Model” pavilion, on September 11 and 12, the lighting show “I Walk Through Moscow” - on a 12-meter screen the most beautiful views of your beloved city at different times of the day. The Green Theater hosted demonstration performances by motorcyclists of the Honorary Escort , a tournament and free petanque games, and lectures.
Excursion “Moscow for Love”
Guests will be transported by bus along a unique route inside the Garden Ring and will discover the capital from a new side - from a romantic
Find out details
Festival "Flower Jam"
At 30 sites of the Flower Jam festival, located both in the center of the capital and in the districts, on weekdays you can enjoy the most beautiful flower installations from landscape design professionals. By the way, the festival runs until October 2021. But over the weekend, ordinary citizens showed their skills. They, alone or as a team, built flower beds according to their designs.
Let us remind you that at the Flower Jam festival there are fairs where you will be offered to buy unusual souvenirs and try original dishes. Particular attention is paid to ice cream and jam. There are dozens of original varieties and mixes here!
Moscow City Day. Photo: globallookpress
Scandalous installation “Big Clay No. 4” on Bolotnaya Embankment
On the eve of the opening of the House of Culture "GES-2", which is scheduled for City Day, a new installation by the Swiss artist Urs Fischer in the form of lumps of clay (official name "Big Clay No. 4"), which had already been in Florence, appeared on Bolotnaya Embankment.
The abstract work caused a storm of emotions and indecent associations among many citizens, but nevertheless, the art object will stand on the embankment for several months.
In fact, this sculpture is a 12-meter copy of a lump of clay cast from aluminum, which the author of the work kneaded in his hands.
It is designed to take the viewer back to childhood and remember that same irresistible impulse - to squeeze a piece of plasticine between your fingers, which we all experienced at our early age.
Despite the coincidence in terms of installation, this installation is not a subject for decorating the city during the holiday. It's just a coincidence, albeit a rather comical one.
Opening of a film club and Soviet classics on big screens
For cinema lovers, the Moskino cinema chain has prepared special screenings.
the military-historical film club will open at the Khudozhestvenny cinema . The project program includes viewing and discussion of domestic historical films. Before the screenings, you will be able to listen to lectures by historians and film experts. At the opening, viewers will see the film “Moscow Sky” by Yuli Raizman. Its premiere took place on June 1, 1944. The film will be presented by the curator of the program and the host of the film club, journalist and historian Grigory Pernavsky. In the future, film club sessions will be held at the Zvezda cinema.
During the holiday weekend you will be able to watch classics of Soviet cinema on big screens . On September 11, at the Fakel cinema at 12:00, Georgy Danelia’s film “I Walk Through Moscow” (1963) will be shown. You can register for the show on the Moskino website. And on September 12 at 15:00 you can see Vladimir Menshov’s painting “Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears” (1979). Pre-registration is also required to visit; the show will take place at the Zvezda cinema.
Festival "Open Water" on the rowing canal of Moscow
September 10-11
Russian Championship in water-motor sports (Aquabike HF flight over water, board with water jet GP1)
12-th of September
The brightest SUP festival in Moscow
Everyone can take part in SUP activities for free: costume carnival; marathon; sprint; dragon racing. Prizes from sponsors.
High Diving World Series 2021
Wakesurfing
Master class for children 5+ from Children's
Entertainment events of the festival
- 13.00 show on the water
- 14.00 – 17.00 SUP yoga sessions
- 14-18.00 Open races on Wake Surf (by pre-registration)
- 21.00 closing of the festival: show program with fireworks, pyrotechnic show, concert,
Address: Krylatskaya str., 2, “Grebnoy Canal”. To participate, pre-registration is required via this link
“Meeting places” are centers that have appeared in restored (or rebuilt) cinemas in the capital. On September 11, 2021, from morning until evening, residents of different areas of Moscow were treated to entertainment for the whole family. Board game lovers competed in popular board games. For active people there was ping-pong, gorodki, hopscotch and even arm wrestling. We also didn’t forget about chess, checkers and the capital’s most popular game – dominoes!
The culmination of the holiday was planned on the roof, where a concert was held in the rays of sunset. The evening continued with a film screening at 21.00.
Scooter quest and world music
On City Day, exhibitions of more than 80 city museums will be open for free visits (without a guide). A list of them is on the website of the Moscow Directorate for the Development of Cultural Centers, and some sites will host free excursions to the exhibitions.
For example, on September 11 and 12 at 12:00, 14:00 and 17:00, the Ilya Glazunov Gallery organizes a sightseeing tour of the Museum of the Estates of Russia . Its interiors and exterior were made according to the sketches of the People's Artist of the USSR. The exhibition is based on the master’s personal collection, dedicated to Russian culture of the 18th – early 20th centuries. To attend the tour you must register. And on September 11 at 15:00 a master class will be held here, participants will create an autumn landscape using the technique of plasticineography (drawing pictures with plasticine). Registration by phone.
On Saturday, September 11, the Garden Ring Museum and the V.A. Tropinin and Moscow artists of his time are invited to a quest journey . You can go either on foot or on a scooter (you need to take it with you). The route is dedicated to outstanding Muscovites of the 19th century. Teams will have to solve riddles, look for architectural monuments, remember literary works, and also answer questions about one of the main artists of the Russian Empire of the late 18th - early 19th centuries, Vasily Tropinin. Starts at 14:00 at the Garden Ring Museum. Participation by pre-registration.
Gogol's House invites children over six years old and their parents to go on an ethnographic musical journey. The performance “Musical Instruments and Songs of the Peoples of the World” will begin at 18:00. Participants will see and hear a tin whistle, a hurdy-gurdy, a kalimba, a pita, a pimak and other unusual instruments. The program includes Russian, Finnish, Eskimo, Indian, Irish, and African music. Entry requires pre-registration.
