DreamFest water lantern festival
- August 19-21, 8 pm - 10 pm
- Yusupov Garden
- 700-4,500 rubles (tickets here)
The annual water lantern festival is back in St. Petersburg for the weekend. Naturally, the high point of the evening for any visitor will be making a wish before letting their lantern sail away over the water. However, that’s not all the event has in store: you will get to enjoy live orchestra performances, a fire show, a variety of photo locations, and an abundance of food for any taste in case you get hungry from all the excitement. That’s one way to make this August special.
Unus Safardiar. Apparition
- April 29 - September 11
- Erarta museum
- 600 - 1,000 rubles (includes an annual pass)
At this exhibition held by the Erarta museum of contemporary art, you will be presented with visual mysteries created by Unus Safardiar, a Samarkand-born artist known for his captivating sculptures. Unus experiments with the forms of his artistic expression, and in his works exhibited this time, he also presents his own view on spacetime, as well as the juxtaposition of the inner and outer worlds. Pay close attention to what you see in his installations and try to determine what is it that moves: the environment or the emotional state of the characters that inhabit it? As usual, there are no wrong or right answers in this quest.
Craft Event Picnic
- August 20, 1 pm - 10 pm
- Kirov Central Park
- From 500 rubles (tickets here)
Another outdoor event for all ages, Craft Event Picnic will bring together food, drinks, and fun enthusiasts. At the festival, you will get to try lemonades, non-alcoholic drinks, and grilled foods by local producers, while also learning more about their combinations: what compliments what better? In the Craft Music area, you will get to hear two contemporary bands perform live, while Craft Market will display creations by St. Pete artisans with accessories and decor to suit any taste. Moreover, the event will feature sports activities, from badminton to frisbee, to make sure you get the most out of your day outdoors.
Arctic Salon
- August 19-21, 11 am - 7 pm
- Peter and Paul Fortress
- Free
The Arctic Salon is your chance to learn more about this intriguing region and the way it is connected to St. Petersburg – for instance, through museums and other tourist attractions in the city that will help you discover Arctic flora and fauna. At the event, you will also get to see feature films and documentaries about Arctic expeditions, as well as take part in fun quizzes (in Russian) and enjoy some live music. As a bonus, you will have the chance to sit in real-life snowmobiles and imagine yourself in the shoes of a true Arctic researcher – a wonderful opportunity to try and forget the scorching heat we’re experiencing in the city.