2020: Pop avant-garde and TV show residents
In 2020, the graduation ceremony ITMO LiVE took place not at the Peter and Paul Fortress, but fully online due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition to the Rector’s address, real-time cooking shows by the deans, and many other events, graduates got to enjoy heartfelt messages from local celebrities. Among the “secret” guests were Katya IOWA – a Belarus-born singer who gained fame for her eclectic music and fashion style – and FRUKTbl – the house band for the popular Russian late-night show Evening Urgant.
2022: blink-182 gone Russian and house rap
Two years later, ITMO students and staff gathered for the first-ever ITMO Family Day. The open-air festival turned out to be quite heavy on the music and brought together various acts: a jazz band with covers of Frank Sinatra and other jazz legends, the cover band JUICE, which breathed a new life into popular songs, and the ITMO-made band Shokoladniy Tort (“Chocolate Cake”), who added some blink-182-esque pop punk to the fest. The special guest of the event was Feduk – a Russian rapper who created one of the biggest dance hits of 2018 – Rozovoe Vino (“Pink Wine”).
2023: Gold covers
Following the graduation ceremony at ITMO LiVE, which this time was held on Yelagin Island, graduates of ‘23 had the chance to enjoy the show by the university’s own student clubs – the dance club FLAME, the vocal community STAYTUNED, and the club ITMO Megabattle – and then danced their big night off to the songs of Joker’s Band – a cover group that plays iconic Russian and international hits.
2024-2025: Gypsy folk rock
2024 saw another first – ITMO Family Day and ITMO LiVE merged into an all-in-one event for all members of ITMO Family, from current students to employees and even applicants. The star of the event became The Hatters – an of-the-moment band from St. Petersburg that dazzled the audience with energetic songs, traditional instruments, and some action on the stage. Next year, in 2025, the musicians returned to repeat their success.
2026: Comedy rap
The cat is out of the bag… and the next to pick up the baton from last year’s headliner is Hleb (“Bread”) – a rap trio of viral video bloggers who know how to bring humorous lyrics and upbeat hip-hop tunes into one. Other artists for the coming ITMO Family Day 2026 include the rock band Rättenkraft, the electro pop band TAPENIGHT, the pop-punk band Shokoladniy Tort (“Chocolate Cake”), and others.
This year, ITMO Family Day will take place on July 11 in the 300th Anniversary Park. All members of ITMO Family are welcome to join the celebration. In addition to music, the festival will feature a graduation ceremony, sports and entertainment events, partner stands, hubs for applicants, and more. Register for the event before July 10, 4 pm.
