Thursday, May 9
Victory Day celebrations
- Starting at 10 am
- City center
- Prices vary
May 9 is Victory Day in Russia, which means traditional celebratory and commemorative activities in the city. First, there is the Palace Square military parade at 10 am (you can also find a broadcast online – this way you will definitely see it from the best angles). Following the parade, the square will be open for visitors, and a rally of retro cars will travel from Palace Square to Vosstaniya Square and back. At 10 pm, citizens and visitors of the city are promised a fireworks display over the Neva River to mark the day.
You are also bound to stumble upon smaller local events organized by various districts of the city.
Another chance to partake in celebrations is by visiting a themed concert at the Small Hall of the St. Petersburg State Philharmonia at 7 pm (ticket prices vary between 600 and 1,000 rubles).
Friday, May 10
Market by the Sea
- 12 pm - 9 pm
- Sevkabel Port
- Free
It’s here again – the regular Sevkabel event, loved by fashionistas and crafts lovers, Market by the Sea. As usual, the program includes over 200 local brands, a selection of delicious foods to try, exciting workshops, and a lively DJ set. A great to-do list for the extra day off this week!
Saturday, May 11
Science is beautiful
- 24/7 until June 27
- Behind Manege Central Exhibition Hall
- Free
Hidden inside labs are hundreds of unrecognized natural art objects, often appreciated only by the rare few who happen to be studying them… Well, no more: thanks to this collaboration by Manege Central Exhibition Hall, Polytechnic Museum, and Kurchatov Institute, the lab beauties are displayed for all to see. Come to the exhibition to wonder at 40 unique images made using cutting-edge research equipment.
Sunday, May 12
Family Values: Four Piano Duos
- 7 pm
- St. Petersburg State Philharmonia, Small Hall
- 800-1,500 rubles (tickets here)
Four piano duos and four musical families – that’s who you’ll get to hear perform at the concert. A rather unusual arrangement, this concert brings you not only masterpieces by Ravel, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, and others, but also a chance to watch a performance by couples who enjoy making music and living life together. Will you see their love reflected in the music? There’s only one way to find out.
Monday, May 13
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
- 8:40 pm
- Angleterre Cinema Lounge
- 350 rubles (tickets here)
It’s unhinged, it’s weird, it’s funny – in other words, it’s a Guy Ritchie movie. We could’ve stopped there, but in case you need some more convincing: it’s about a group of unlikely British Army recruits who are set to disrupt the enemy forces during WWII. Naturally, Henry Cavill stars as the ringleader, while Til Schweiger couldn’t also not be there (if only for the Inglourious Basterds (2009) parallels, which we believe are in order). Grab your tickets if you are ready to kick off the week in just that little-bit-manic style.
Tuesday, May 14
PAF: All Flowers exhibition
- Until June 30, 12 pm - 10 pm
- Sevkabel Port
- 500 rubles (650 rubles on weekends; tickets here)
Sevkabel Port presents an art fair-turned-exhibition, offering visitors a peek into the Russian contemporary art scene. Galleries, independent artists, installations, and digital art objects… Explore them all in the spacey exhibition hall – and ponder on everything you saw at the adjacent coworking space or, more officially, a reading salon. If you decide to return for another look, you may get to see a different display, for the list of exhibited galleries will be changing starting from late May.
Wednesday, May 15
Exhibition: Following the Sounds of the Soul
- Until June 26, 11 am - 10 pm daily
- ArtMuza
- Free
It is said that paintings by Yuri Uzhegov are invariably full of love and kindness to the world, highlighting life’s precious, fleeting moments. At this retrospective exhibition, you will get to experience that for yourself, enjoying the artist’s creations that showcase his proficient technique of achieving perfect visual balance.