The Circle of Light Festival in Moscow is an international festival at which lighting designers and audiovisual artists from many countries reinvent the city’s architecture with projection mapping, lasers and light installations. It has been held every autumn since 2011, traditionally in late September, and entry to its venues has been free.
The most central venue is Teatralnaya Square, where shows are projected onto the facades of the Bolshoi, Maly and Russian Academic Youth theaters, with other shows at parks, museums and the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye. Shows start after dusk. The program, venues and dates change each year, and it is worth checking with the organizers whether the current edition is running.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Московский международный фестиваль «Круг света» |
|---|---|
| Type | Recurring event |
| When | Every year in autumn, traditionally in late September, for about five days to a week and a half; the dates, the venues and the program change each year, and whether the current edition runs should be checked with the organizers. |
| Typical duration | Usually about five days, with evening shows after dusk and a closing fireworks show. |
| Address | Teatralnaya Square, the festival's most central venue, with other shows at parks, museums and the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Tverskoy |
| Metro | Teatralnaya (Zamoskvoretskaya Line (Line 2, green), A central station beside Teatralnaya Square and the Bolshoi Theatre; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Okhotny Ryad (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red), A central station a short walk from the square; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line (Line 3, dark blue), A central station on the other side of the square; the exit and the walking time were not verified) |
| Admission | Admission to the festival venues has been free in all editions. Some concerts or closed venues may have separate rules. |
| Best time to visit | Shows start after dusk, usually from about 19:30, and weekdays are quieter than the weekend. The festival runs in late September, with cool evenings. Crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
Dates, programs and prices change from year to year. Always check the official website for the current edition.
Why Visit Circle of Light Festival in Moscow?
The festival turns familiar buildings into moving screens: the facades of three theaters become one panoramic projection, parks fill with glowing installations and a canal becomes a water stage for a music and light show with fireworks. It happens in the evening, outdoors, and is free, which makes it an easy addition to a September trip.
It is also a showcase of work by light designers and projection artists, with an international competition in some editions. Crowds are large at the central venue, shows are timed, and the program varies each year. Visitors should check the current schedule and wrap up warmly for the cool evening air.
What to Expect at Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
The festival runs for about five days in late September, with shows after dusk at a handful to a dozen venues. Typical elements include projection mapping on the facades of theaters, museums and palaces, light installations in parks, laser shows, music and light shows on the water of the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye, and a closing fireworks show. Daily shows have run from around 19:30 to 23:00 at central venues.
In some editions the festival has included the ART VISION international competition of projection mapping and VJ art, workshops and lectures by light designers, and concerts with light shows. The shows often follow themes, such as the history of Russia or the Year of Theater. The program changes each year.
Highlights of Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Teatralnaya Square
The most central venue of the festival is Teatralnaya Square, where the facades of the Bolshoi Theatre, the Maly Theatre and the Russian Academic Youth Theatre have formed one 270-degree panoramic screen for projection shows, every evening of the festival. The shows are short and repeat through the evening. See the How to buy tickets for the Bolshoi Theatre guide on this site.
Tip: Find a spot in the middle of the square to see all three facades at once.
The Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye
In some editions the festival opens and closes at the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye, a long Olympic-era waterway, where a multimedia show with music, lights and water is followed by fireworks. The venue is outside the center and is reached by metro and a walk. Check the current program for the canal.
Tip: Plan your return trip, since the closing show ends late and the area is far from the center.
Tsaritsyno and Kolomenskoye
The parks of the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve and the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve have been festival venues, with projection mapping on the Great Tsaritsyno Palace facade and light installations in the Kolomenskoye park. See the Tsaritsyno and Kolomenskoye guides on this site.
Tip: Dress warmly, since park venues are open-air and cool after dark.
Museum facades
The Museum of the Great Patriotic War on Poklonnaya Gora has hosted a panoramic facade projection and a part of the international competition, and the Polytechnic Museum has hosted a mapping show of its own history. The venues change each year. See the Moscow Estates Festival guide on this site for another autumn-park event.
Tip: Check which museum is a venue this year, since the list changes.
Light installations in parks
Parks such as Ostankino and VDNKh have been turned into light parks, with a number of light and video installations, such as fifteen at Ostankino in one edition. They are meant to be walked through and are usually free. See the VDNH and Ostankino guide on this site.
Tip: Visit on a weekday evening for fewer people at the installations.
The closing fireworks show
The festival has ended with a fireworks show, in one edition a ten-minute musical pyrotechnic show and in another a forty-minute show of Japanese hanabi. The viewing places change each year. Check the current program for the site and time.
Tip: Arrive early to a viewing place, since the crowd gathers about an hour before.
What It Means for Your Visit
The festival is not a public holiday, so museums, shops and transport work as usual. The effects are local: Teatralnaya Square and nearby streets are crowded during the evening shows, and some roads and pedestrian areas around the venues may be closed or fenced. Metro stations near the central venues, Teatralnaya and Okhotny Ryad, are busy before and after the shows.
Shows are held after dark, so late September evenings can be cold. Venues outside the center, such as the Rowing Canal, take time to reach, and the last metro trains matter for the late closing show. Check the official sources for the current dates, venues and show times, since they change every year.
Atmosphere
After dusk Teatralnaya Square is dark except for the three theaters, which suddenly come alive: columns melt and re-form, a facade ripples like fabric, and a deep soundtrack rolls across the square. The crowd stands in a loose half circle, phones raised, and applauds at the end of each show.
In the parks the mood is quieter, with families walking between glowing tunnels and illuminated trees in the cool air. Shows start at fixed times, and the squares are full by early evening. The crowd varies by venue and night, and no figures were verified.
History of Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
The Circle of Light international festival has been held in Moscow since 2011. The first edition, with more than 360 installations, used Red Square, Manezhnaya Square and Gorky Park as its main venues. It was organized by the city, with the Department of Sport as the organizer and an authorized organizer commissioned by the city hall.
The fifth edition, in 2015, had nine venues, with the best retro performances of earlier years shown on the facade of the Bolshoi Theatre and the VDNKh park turned into a park of light, and ran from late September to early October. A special edition in May 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, with projections on the Russian Army Theater and Belorussky railway station.
In later editions the festival had five to nine venues and ran for about five days in late September, with shows on Teatralnaya Square, projections at Tsaritsyno, Kolomenskoye and the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, shows at the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye and light installations in parks, among them Ostankino. The ART VISION international projection mapping and VJ competition has been part of the festival, with teams from dozens of countries in some editions.
Shows have followed themes such as the Year of Theater and the Year of Japan in Russia, and the closing events have included musical fireworks. Admission to the venues has been free throughout.
The program, venues and dates were announced each year, and whether the festival is currently running in the same form should be confirmed with the organizers.
Tickets and Booking for Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
There is no ticket for the festival: admission to all venues has been free, and no booking is needed. Viewing is on a first-come basis in the squares and parks, and some concerts, closed venues or lectures may need registration or have separate rules. The festival is organized by the city, which publishes the dates, venues and show times a short time before it opens. Details change every year, so no program is given here.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so bring rubles in cash for food and drinks, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ at ticketed events, so check the official city portal, mos.ru, and the festival’s own channels for the current edition.
Get Tickets for Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
How to Get to Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Teatralnaya Square is next to Teatralnaya (Line 2), with Okhotny Ryad (Line 1) and Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Line 3) close by. The exits and walking times were not verified. For other venues, see the Tsaritsyno, Kolomenskoye and VDNH and Ostankino guides on this site, and check the current map for the Rowing Canal.
- Metro: central stations are crowded after the shows; the metro guides on this site explain the lines and rush hour.
- Taxi: streets around the square may be closed; the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options.
Accessibility
No accessibility information was found for the festival as a whole. Teatralnaya Square is mostly level, as far as is known, but crowds and temporary fencing make movement difficult, and park venues have uneven paths, so check conditions on site.
Food Nearby
Cafes and restaurants around Teatralnaya Square, Kuznetsky Most and Tverskaya Street are open in the evening, though they fill up on festival nights. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours on site.
What to Bring
A warm jacket, a hat and gloves for cool evenings, comfortable shoes for standing, a charged phone and rubles in cash for food, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
The center of Teatralnaya Square
The three theater facades lit together as one panorama, seen from the middle of the square. The symmetry and the scale make the best frame.
Best time: During the first show after dusk.
A park light installation
A glowing tunnel or an illuminated tree grove with walkers inside. The colors against the dark park work well for long exposures.
Best time: After dark on a weekday.
The Rowing Canal for the closing show
A long water stage with lights and fireworks reflected in the canal. The reflections are the point.
Best time: At the closing show.
Museum facade projection
A wide museum facade with moving projections and an audience in the foreground. The scale of the building adds drama.
Best time: During the show.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules for the festival were found. Security zones near the Kremlin may restrict tripods and drones, and visitors may not want to be photographed, so ask first. Drone rules in Moscow are strict and were not checked.
Family Suitability
The festival suits families with older children who can stay out in the evening, with free shows and installations in parks. Crowds, cold evenings and late closing shows are the main limits for young children. Stroller access on squares is generally fine, though crowded fenced areas are tight.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Arrive at the central square about thirty minutes before the first show to find a spot in the middle.
- Check the show schedule, since shows are short and repeat at fixed times.
- Choose a park installation on a weekday for a calmer visit.
- Plan your return trip for the closing show, since metro stations are crowded afterwards.
- Pair the festival with a visit to the Bolshoi Theatre area or a dinner in Kuznetsky Most.
- Check whether the festival is running this year before you plan your dates around it.
Explore Nearby Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Sights near Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Zaryadye Park Moscowabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours; 3 hours with the pavilionsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Bolshoi Theatre Moscow – about 50 m away (~1 min walk) · typical visit: 3–4 hours for a performance; about 1 hour for a guided tourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Maly Theatre Moscowabout 150 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performanceMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Central Children's Store on Lubyanka Moscowabout 350 m away (~6 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chekhov Moscow Art Theatreabout 350 m away (~6 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performanceMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Teatralnaya Metro Stationabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Okhotny Ryad Metro Stationabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Tehnikumabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Tkemaliabout 300 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
SAVVAabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metropol Restaurantabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Let's Rock Barabout 150 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kadril Karaoke Clubabout 300 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Ararat Park Hotel Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotel Metropol Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotel Savoy Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
Moscow Fish Weekabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Golden Autumn Festival in Moscowabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Gardens and Flowers Festival in Moscowabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Circle of Light Festival in Moscow
When is the Circle of Light festival?
Traditionally in late September, for about five days.
Is it free?
Admission to the venues has been free.
Where is the main venue?
Teatralnaya Square, on the facades of three theaters.
What time do shows start?
After dusk, usually from about 19:30.
Are there fireworks?
Yes, a closing fireworks show has been part of past editions.
Is it only in the center?
No, venues have included parks, museums and the Rowing Canal.
Who organizes it?
The city of Moscow, with an authorized organizer.
Do I need to register?
Not for most shows; some lectures or concerts may need it.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026.
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