March

Universiade is an international sports competition for students and youth all over the world. This year Krasnoyarsk hosts this amazing event. It is ready to welcome its visitors with great hospitality and weather conditions for the winter games because Krasnoyarsk is located in the geographical centre of Siberia. The participants will compete in 11 sports such as Alpine Skiing, Curling, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey and more under the slogan "Real Winter". Don't miss this fantastic event if you are keen on sports!

If you are fond of running, Baikal Ice Marathon will not leave you disappointed. It is a great opportunity to test yourself while racing across the frozen waters of the largest, deepest and most biotically diverse fresh water lake in the world. The marathon is featured in many sports newspapers and magazines as a unique and memorable challege to take. It is 42.2 km long and the progress of the runners is marked by checkpoints positioned at 5 km intervals. It will taste your endurance and will be an experience you will never forget!

Seven weeks before Easter are the week-long Maslenitsa festivities – Russia’s pancake week. With pancake being the symbol of sun, the festival combines pagan traditions of celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of spring with the Christian tradition of feasting before the Great Lent. Throughout the history each day has been marked with different activities: making Maslenitsa dolls from straw and old clothes, making and eating lots of pancakes (blinis), sledging, playing seasows, singing, fist fighting, visiting family and exchanging gifts, feasting and drinking tea or vodka. The Maslenitsa dolls are burned on the final day to see the winter off and people jump over bonfires. Any city or village will host Maslenitsa celebrations so make sure to check the schedule of your local events and enjoy the festive spirit.

On International Women’s Day, families gather to celebrate women in their lives. Women receive gifts of recognition, such as flowers, cards, chocolate and other gifts. Many Russian men take over household duties and give women a full day of rest. Offices and businesses are closed and companies give flowers or small gifts to female employees the day before the holiday. It is not uncommon for businesses to have a luncheon that includes champagne. There may also be concerts or live performances throughout Russia in celebration of women. On the Moscow subway system, congratulatory messages are broadcast throughout the day.

Along with the Fashion Week London, Pairs, Milan and New York, Fashion Week Moscow is a growing draw for international fashion-lovers, with over fifty fashion houses showcasing their productions to nearly 100 000 guests annually. The festival is expected to take place at the Gostiny Dvor and other venues around Moscow.

The museums that are under control of the City Department of Culture offer free admission on every 3rd Sunday of the month. Please note that the federal museums such as the Tretyakov Gallery, the Historical Museum, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts do not participate in this initiative. Long queues can be expected as there always many visitors who would like to use the offer.

Golden Mask is an all-Russian Performing Arts Festival that takes place in Moscow in the spring of each year, presenting the most significant performances from all over Russia. The main festival programme includes Russian productions, selected by experts from among the premieres of the previous season and nominated for the Golden Mask Award. The Awards are made at the Golden Mask Awards Ceremony in mid April.