What's on in Saint Petersburg (St Petersburg), Russia through the year

Busy — New Year holidays, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: New Year holidays (31 Dec – 8 Jan)

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Festival

  Maslenitsa

  16–22 FebCarnival

  Pancake week before Lent, with stalls in the parks and on Yelagin Island and an effigy burned on the Sunday. It arrives at the point the winter has stopped being interesting. Source ↗

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Maslenitsa (16–22 Feb)

Busy — Peterhof fountains switched on, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Opening

  Neva bridges lift

  10 Apr – 30 NovClosures

  Navigation opens on 10 April, and from then until the end of November a dozen bridges over the Neva raise every night for shipping. Get caught on the wrong bank after one and you wait until five. Source ↗

• Opening

  Peterhof fountains switched on

  25 Apr – 12 Oct · usuallySummer season opensCrowded

  The Grand Cascade is started with a ceremony in the last days of April and shut down in the second week of October. Out of season Peterhof is a park with dry statues in it. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Peterhof fountains switched on, Victory Day

• Holiday

  Victory Day

  9 MayNational holidayClosuresCrowded

  A parade on Palace Square, the centre closed to traffic from early morning, and fireworks over the Neva at night. Rehearsals shut Nevsky on a couple of days beforehand as well. Source ↗

• Nature

  White nights

  25 May – 17 Jul · usuallyMidnight sunCrowded

  For about seven weeks around the solstice it never gets properly dark. The embankments are busy at two in the morning, nobody sleeps much, and the hotels charge for it.

• Festival

  Stars of the White Nights

  25 May – 25 Jul · usuallyMajor festivalBook early

  The Mariinsky runs opera and ballet nightly across its three stages for two months of the summer, which is the only time the company is all in one city. Source ↗

• Holiday

  City Day

  27 MayMajor festivalCrowded

  The city's founding is marked on 27 May with free concerts and closures along Nevsky, at the point the white nights are starting and the parks have just come back. Source ↗

Still on: Neva bridges lift (10 Apr – 30 Nov), Peterhof fountains switched on (25 Apr – 12 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Peterhof fountains switched on, White nights

• Nature

  Poplar fluff

  1–28 Jun · usuallyPollen season

  Poplar seed drifts down the streets like snow for two or three weeks in June and piles up in the gutters and the metro entrances. Anyone with hay fever notices it immediately.

• Festival

  Scarlet Sails

  18–30 Jun · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  The school-leavers' night in late June: a tall ship with red sails comes up the Neva and the city puts on its largest fireworks. The embankments are closed and the metro runs all night. Source ↗

Still on: Neva bridges lift (10 Apr – 30 Nov), Peterhof fountains switched on (25 Apr – 12 Oct (usually)), White nights (25 May – 17 Jul (usually)), Stars of the White Nights (25 May – 25 Jul (usually))

Peak crowds — Peterhof fountains switched on, White nights

• Holiday

  Navy Day

  25–31 Jul · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  On the last Sunday of July warships line the Neva and the centre is closed for the parade. Rehearsals shut the embankments for several days beforehand. Source ↗

Still on: Neva bridges lift (10 Apr – 30 Nov), Peterhof fountains switched on (25 Apr – 12 Oct (usually)), White nights (25 May – 17 Jul (usually)), Stars of the White Nights (25 May – 25 Jul (usually))

Busy — Peterhof fountains switched on, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Neva bridges lift (10 Apr – 30 Nov), Peterhof fountains switched on (25 Apr – 12 Oct (usually))

Busy — Peterhof fountains switched on, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Golden autumn in the palace parks

  25 Sep – 20 Oct · usuallyAutumn colour

  Pushkin, Pavlovsk and the Peterhof lower park turn through the first half of October, after the coach season has thinned. The last good fortnight before the light goes for the winter.

Still on: Neva bridges lift (10 Apr – 30 Nov), Peterhof fountains switched on (25 Apr – 12 Oct (usually))

Busy — Peterhof fountains switched on, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Neva bridges lift (10 Apr – 30 Nov), Peterhof fountains switched on (25 Apr – 12 Oct (usually)), Golden autumn in the palace parks (25 Sep – 20 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Neva bridges lift (10 Apr – 30 Nov)

Busy — New Year holidays, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  New Year holidays

  31 Dec – 8 JanChristmas & New YearClosuresCrowded

  The country takes the first eight days of January off. The palaces and the Hermitage stay open and are the busiest they get all winter; almost everything else is shut. Source ↗