Moscow Events

Moscow's festivals have shaken off their 'joyous workers' march' image and are now shaking booty with the best of them.

A great many festivals are derived from Orthodox church tradition. Orthodox Christmas begins with midnight mass on 7 January. Orthodox Easter, known as Paskha, falls some time in March or April - it begins with a midnight church service, after which people eat special dome-shaped curd cakes and swap painted wooden eggs.

In odd-numbered years, the Moscow Film Festival hits the city's screens in autumn. The Russian Winter Festival is pretty much a tourist affair with troika rides, folklore shows, games and vodka, and is celebrated between 25 December and 5 January. Novy God is the Russian New Year celebration, and is the main gift-giving festival of the year, with presents placed under the traditional fir tree. Muscovites see out the old year with vodka and welcome the new one with champagne.