The Easter Gift Festival in Moscow is a charity festival held each spring in the days around Orthodox Easter, as part of the city’s Moscow Seasons program. It brings master classes, lectures, exhibitions and sports activities to central and neighborhood venues, with a focus on Easter traditions, baking and kindness, and it has been held every year for about a decade.
Visitors can make Easter gifts and treats, decorate eggs, draw Easter pictures, join lessons in kindness and take part in exchange fairs where people give and receive items. Entry is free, and Tverskaya Square is the best-known venue. The program changes every year, and the date follows the movable Orthodox Easter, so check the official website for the current edition.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Фестиваль «Пасхальный дар» |
|---|---|
| Type | Recurring event |
| When | Every spring in the days around Orthodox Easter, as part of the city's Moscow Seasons festivals; the dates move with the Orthodox Easter date and usually cover about a week to nine days in April or early May. |
| Typical duration | About a week to nine days around Orthodox Easter, usually running through the Easter weekend. |
| Address | Tverskaya Square and other central venues, with neighborhood venues in many districts of Moscow OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Tverskoy |
| Metro | Tverskaya (Zamoskvoretskaya Line (Line 2, green), A central station beside Tverskaya Square, the festival's best-known venue; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Pushkinskaya (Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line (Line 7, purple), Part of the same interchange complex; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Chekhovskaya (Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Line (Line 9, gray), Part of the same interchange complex; the exit and the walking time were not verified) |
| Admission | Entry to the festival venues and the master classes is free, usually on a first-come, first-served basis. Some food or special programs may charge. |
| Best time to visit | Weekday afternoons are the quietest, and weekends and the Easter weekend are the busiest. Venues are usually open from late morning to evening. April weather ranges from cold and wet to mild. The date moves with Orthodox Easter. Crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Website | moscowseasons.com/en |
| 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 Easter Gift Festival in Moscow?
The festival is a gentle, hands-on way to meet Easter in Moscow without going to a church service: baking and decorating Easter cakes and eggs, drawing, planting workshops and storytelling, mostly free and mostly in open spaces. Many activities are set up for children and families, but adults can join if places remain.
It also shows a social side of the city, with a charity theme, exchange fairs where visitors can give and take things, and decorated Easter trees. The venues are spread across the districts, so a visitor can pick one near the hotel. Programs are mostly in Russian, and weather in April can be wet.
What to Expect at Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
The city sets up a set of themed venues, with one main central site and neighborhood venues in the districts, for about a week around Orthodox Easter. Typical elements include master classes and lessons in kindness where children make gifts for their loved ones, learn Easter traditions, cook Easter treats and learn about spring planting, together with lectures, exhibitions and sports activities.
The program usually includes Easter recipe houses, with Easter gingerbread and breakfast ideas, Easter cake, colored eggs and cookies, window displays and drawing sessions, a theatrical program, a Give and Receive exchange fair, and decorated trees with Easter eggs. A small cookbook of holiday recipes has been offered as a gift to participants of the master classes. Other editions added sessions with dog handlers and a free veterinary station. The organizers run a charity headquarters, Moscow Helps, at some venues. The program differs each year.
Highlights of Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Tverskaya Square
The square in front of the Mayor's building on Tverskaya Street is the best-known venue of the festival, with the charity headquarters and the central program of workshops, activities and the exchange fair. It sits on the city's main street and is close to several metro stations. The program changes every year. See the Tverskoy guide on this site.
Tip: Come on a weekday afternoon for shorter queues at the workshops.
Master classes and lessons in kindness
At the workshops and lessons in kindness, young guests make gifts for their loved ones, learn about Easter traditions, prepare Easter treats and find out about seasonal planting. Places are usually first come, first served, and adults may join if there is room. The classes are mostly in Russian.
Tip: Go early in the day to get a place in the popular workshops.
Easter recipe houses
Themed houses at the venues teach Easter baking: royal Easter cake, colored eggs, cookies, gingerbread and ideas for an Easter breakfast. A gift cookbook with holiday recipes and tips for decorating eggs with natural dyes has been handed out to participants. See the Orthodox Easter in Moscow guide on this site for the feast itself.
Tip: Ask for the cookbook at the workshop desk, since copies may run out.
The Give and Receive exchange fair
Visitors can take part in an exchange fair, where people bring things they no longer need and take things they like, as part of the festival's charity theme. It runs at central and district sites, and the addresses are listed each year. It is a simple way to see the festival's social side.
Tip: Check the list of exchange sites on the official website before you bring anything.
Easter trees and decorations
The festival has placed art objects in the center and districts, among them Easter kindness trees hung with Easter eggs, as well as Easter window displays and drawing activities. They are free to see and easy to photograph. The designs change each year.
Tip: Walk between a central venue and a district venue to compare the decorations.
Neighborhood venues
Besides the center, the festival has had venues in squares and parks across the districts, with a cultural program and workshops, and in one edition special areas for dogs with lectures, games and a free veterinary station. The list changes every year and is published by the organizers. See the Moscow Spring Festival guide on this site for the spring season.
Tip: Choose a district venue near your hotel for a quieter visit.
What It Means for Your Visit
The festival is not a public holiday, so offices, shops, museums and transport work as usual. The effects are local: the central venues, in particular Tverskaya Square, are crowded on weekends and during the Easter weekend, with queues for popular workshops. Some streets or squares may be partly fenced for the program.
On the night of the Orthodox Easter service the area around the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is separately busy, as described in the Orthodox Easter guide. April weather can be wet, so plan an indoor alternative. Check the festival’s official website for the current dates, venues and exchange sites, since they change every year.
Atmosphere
In April the festival square is a mix of bright colors and flour: low wooden houses with children in aprons rolling dough, tables covered in painted eggs, drawing boards and the smell of baking. Parents stand behind children at long tables, and volunteers hand out recipe books.
The mood is cheerful and unhurried, with a charity spirit: people queue to swap things, trees hung with eggs stand in the squares and the whole area is busy at weekends. Weather in April ranges from cold rain to sun. The crowd varies by venue and no figures were verified.
History of Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
The Easter Gift Charity Festival is a festival of the city of Moscow, part of the Moscow Seasons program, which also includes festivals in other seasons. It was held for the eighth time in 2023 and for the ninth time in 2024, so it began in 2016, and it has grown from a small program into a citywide event with central and neighborhood venues.
The festival coincides with Orthodox Easter, which is movable and falls between early April and early May, as described in the Orthodox Easter in Moscow guide on this site. Its themes combine Easter traditions, such as baking Easter cakes and dyeing eggs, with charity, including the Give and Receive exchange fair and the Moscow Helps headquarters.
In 2023 the festival ran from 15 to 23 April, with master classes, lessons in kindness, lectures, exhibitions, sports activities, an Easter cuisine program, window displays and a theatrical program, and it handed out an Easter cookbook. In 2024 the festival, again in its charity form, covered eight central venues at once, added a program for dogs and their owners with a free veterinary station and grooming salon, and set up Easter kindness trees in the center and in the districts.
The festival is free to enter, and most places are first come, first served. The program, dates and venues are announced by the city each year, and the festival’s official website lists them.
Tickets and Booking for Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Entry to the festival venues is free, with no ticket or booking. Master classes and lessons are normally open on a first-come, first-served basis, and adults may take part if there are free places. Food and some special programs may charge their own prices, usually on the spot. The festival is organized by the city as part of Moscow Seasons, which publishes the dates, the venues and the list of exchange sites 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 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 festival’s official website, moscowseasons.com, and the city portal, mos.ru, for the current edition.
Get Tickets for Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
How to Get to Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Tverskaya Square is served by Tverskaya (Line 2), Pushkinskaya (Line 7) and Chekhovskaya (Line 9), which form one interchange complex. The exits and walking times were not verified. For neighborhood venues, choose one near a metro station and check the current list.
- Metro: central stations are crowded in the evening; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
- Taxi: the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options.
Accessibility
No accessibility information was found for the festival as a whole. Squares are mostly level, as far as is known, but crowds and temporary structures make movement difficult, so check conditions at each venue before you go.
Food Nearby
Cafes and restaurants around Tverskaya Street and the Boulevard Ring are busy, and festival venues sell Easter treats and snacks. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours on site.
What to Bring
A rain jacket and warm layer for changeable April weather, comfortable shoes, and rubles in cash for food, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Easter kindness trees hung with eggs
Trees and art objects decorated with colored Easter eggs on a festival square. The bright eggs against spring branches make a clear, simple frame.
Best time: Morning light.
The Easter recipe houses
Small wooden houses with tables of baked Easter cakes and painted eggs and children at work. It shows the hands-on side of the festival; avoid close shots of children's faces.
Best time: Midday.
Tverskaya Square with the Mayor's building behind
The festival's central site in front of the Mayor's building with stalls and walkers. It places the festival on the main street.
Best time: Late afternoon.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules for the festival were found. Children at workshops and volunteers 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 very well, with free workshops for children, baking, drawing and storytelling, and most activities are in open spaces. Crowds on weekends and rain are the main limits. Stroller access on the squares is generally fine.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Check the dates against the Orthodox Easter date, since the festival follows it and it differs from Western Easter.
- Go to a workshop in the morning, when queues are shortest.
- Pick a district venue if the central square is too crowded.
- Ask at the desk for the Easter cookbook, since it may be offered as a gift.
- Combine the festival with the Orthodox Easter in Moscow guide, which covers the church service and the food customs.
- Do not bring anything to the exchange fair before checking the current rules on the official website.
Explore Nearby Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Sights near Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Chekhov Moscow Art Theatreabout 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performanceMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Bolshoi Theatre Moscow – about 600 m away (~10 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.
Moscow State Conservatoryabout 600 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: About 2 to 3 hours for a concertMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Vernadsky State Geological Museum Moscowabout 700 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 2 to 3 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia Moscowabout 750 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Museum of Archaeologyabout 750 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 45 minutes to 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Tverskaya Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Pushkinskaya Metro Stationabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chekhovskaya Metro Stationabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Tehnikumabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Loonaabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Turandotabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cafe Pushkinabout 400 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Craft Republicabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Let's Rock Barabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Central Hostel Red Squareabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Rus Teatralnaya Hostelabout 400 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Standart Hotel Moscowabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
Moscow Tea Party Festivalabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Spring Festivalabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Pushkin Day and Russian Language Day 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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Browse more: More in Tverskoy · All Entertainment · All Events & Holidays
FAQ: Easter Gift Festival in Moscow
When is the Easter Gift Festival?
In the days around Orthodox Easter, usually in April or early May.
Is it free?
Yes, entry to the venues and the workshops is free.
Where is the main venue?
Tverskaya Square in the center, with other venues in the districts.
Is it a religious event?
No, it is a city charity festival built around Easter traditions.
What can I do there?
Join workshops, bake and decorate, draw and visit the exchange fair.
Do I need to register?
Usually not; places are first come, first served.
Can adults join the workshops?
Yes, if there are free places.
Is it the same as the Orthodox Easter service?
No, the service is a church event; see the Orthodox Easter guide.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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