St. Petersburg is set to host a diverse array of cultural and entertainment events in early August, offering something for everyone. From vibrant water carnivals and art fairs to historical reenactments and film premieres, the city promises a rich and engaging experience.
The tenth anniversary of ‘Fontanka SUP,’ a water carnival featuring thousands of participants in colorful costumes, will take place this weekend. Participants will paddle along a scenic 8-kilometer route through the Fontanka River, Kryukov Canal, and Moika River. The event culminates in a grand afterparty at the ‘A2’ club, featuring performances by Tatyana Bulanova, Igor Kornelyuk, and the groups ‘Mirage’ and ‘Za4ertoy’.
Art enthusiasts can explore the ‘From a Professor’s Apartment’ art fair, held for the first time in Radio House. The fair showcases over a thousand works, ranging from classics of the Leningrad school and non-conformist artists to contemporary authors. The program includes lectures on the city, its history, and art, as well as excursions.
History buffs can witness the ‘The Great War. 1914’ historical festival in Tsarskoye Selo. Military-historical clubs from St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Belarus will recreate camps with interactive площадки and exhibitions of equipment and weapons. The event features equestrian performances with elements of jigitovka, showcasing Cossack saber work and other skills.
Nature lovers can admire the blooming phloxes and fuchsias at именных exhibitions in the Botanical Garden. The weekend will also feature the ‘Immigrants of the New World’ festival, offering a walk through the park to explore the flora of North America.
Museums offer a variety of exhibitions, including a project at the Museum of Political History dedicated to Sergei Diaghilev. The exhibition explores Diaghilev’s creative and life path, showcasing items related to his life from his childhood to the post-revolutionary period. The cultural quarter ‘Brusnitsyn’ will host the exhibition ‘The Fairy-Tale Worlds of I. Ya. Bilibin’, featuring original works on folklore and fairy-tale themes, as well as decorations for theatrical productions and posters. ‘Rosphoto’ will present ‘Carefully Colored’, an exhibition showcasing the period when black-and-white pictures were manually turned into color ones. The gallery ‘Tsifergauz’ opens ‘The Dead and the Living: Collaboration’, a provocative project featuring graphics, painting, photography, neural network video art, and авторскими photographs.
The Ivan Limbach Publishing House celebrates its 30th anniversary with a program at the Mishka bar. The event includes a book fair, discussions with editors, poets, translators, and writers, and a poetic performance. ‘Yaga-Fest’, a theatrical holiday from the ‘Skazkin Dom’ museum-theater, will take place in the Vokzal 1853 space, offering crafts and game contests for children.
Music lovers can enjoy ‘Alice in Wonderland’ performed by the ensemble of soloists of the ‘Orchestra 1703’ in the ‘Summer Theater’ of New Holland. The Sheremetev Palace will host the ‘Music of the World’ festival of ethno-jazz, fusion, and folk musical instruments, featuring groups like ‘Otava Yo’, Acid Hacid, and Sergei Starostin’s ‘Fathers and Children’.
Filmgoers can choose from several new releases, including the British-Irish melodrama ‘Letters of Love’, the chamber drama ‘Pretth’, the Italian drama ’28 Days’ based on the abduction of a journalist, the fantasy action film ‘Red Sonja’, and the body horror ‘One Whole’.