The Moscow Spring Festival is the city’s spring program, held each year from late April into May around the May holidays as part of the Moscow Seasons festivals. In practice it is a family of events: a general Moscow Spring festival with themed workshops, quests and concerts at central and neighborhood venues, and the Moscow Spring A Cappella festival, an international vocal contest with free concerts across the city.
The main venues are central streets and squares, among them Tverskaya Square, Manezhnaya Square, Revolution Square, Kamergersky Lane and Kuznetsky Most, together with parks and district venues. Most events are free, the program changes each year and the exact name of the central festival varies, so check the festival’s official website for the current edition.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Фестиваль «Московская весна» |
|---|---|
| Type | Recurring event |
| When | Every spring, usually from late April into May around the May holidays, as part of the city's Moscow Seasons program; the dates and the exact program change each year. |
| Typical duration | About one to two weeks, typically spanning the May holidays, with the A Cappella contest running as a separate strand of about ten to twelve days. |
| Address | Tverskaya Square and the central squares of Moscow, with venues in many districts OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Tverskoy |
| Metro | Tverskaya (Zamoskvoretskaya Line (Line 2, green), A central station beside Tverskaya Square, a main venue of the festival; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Pushkinskaya (Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line (Line 7, purple), Part of the same interchange complex near Tverskoy Boulevard; 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, concerts and most workshops is free, with workshops usually on a first-come, first-served basis. Food, rides and some special programs may charge. |
| Best time to visit | Weekday afternoons are the quietest, and weekends and the May holidays are the busiest. Central venues open in the late morning and close in the evening. Late April and May weather ranges from cool to warm. 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 Moscow Spring Festival?
The festival is the easiest way to see Moscow’s streets turn into stages: groups from many countries singing without instruments on city squares, a children’s vocal school on Tverskaya Square and workshops in small pavilions. It comes at the best time of year, when the city is green again and the May holidays fill the center with walkers.
It is also free and spread across the city, so a visitor can choose between a central square, a park such as Gorky Park or VDNKh, or a district venue near the hotel. Crowds are heavy at the central venues on weekends, and the program, the dates and the venue list change every year.
What to Expect at Moscow Spring Festival
The Moscow Seasons program sets up themed venues in the center and in the districts for about one to two weeks in late April and early May. Typical elements include workshops for children and adults, a vocal and stage school, concerts, quests and activities linked to the May holidays, and in some editions events honoring veterans around Victory Day. Central venues open from late morning, and neighborhood venues a little later, until the evening. Adults can join the workshops if there are free places.
The Moscow Spring A Cappella festival, held since 2017 as part of Moscow Seasons, runs as a separate strand: an international a cappella singing competition with performers from many countries and hundreds of free concerts on stages in squares, streets, parks and unusual places such as building balconies and, in one edition, river boats. The schedule and the list of venues are published on the festival’s own website.
Highlights of Moscow Spring Festival
Tverskaya Square and Tverskaya Street
Tverskaya Square, in front of the building of the Mayor of Moscow, is one of the central venues of the spring festivals, with stages, children's vocal classes and themed pavilions. The festival organizers' office is on Tverskaya Street. The square lies on the city's main street and is close to several metro stations. See the Tverskoy guide on this site.
Tip: Come on a weekday afternoon for shorter queues at the workshops.
The Moscow Spring A Cappella contest
An international open vocal contest of a cappella groups and soloists, held since 2017 as part of Moscow Seasons, with concerts on stages in the squares and streets of the city and a jury of known singers. The editions have brought together hundreds or thousands of performers from many countries, and the concerts are free to attend. The schedule is published on the festival's official website.
Tip: Check the day's schedule on the official website and choose a stage near your hotel.
Manezhnaya Square, Revolution Square and Kamergersky Lane
The central stages of the festival stand on Manezhnaya Square, Revolution Square, Kamergersky Lane, Kuznetsky Most, Nikolskaya Street, Theatre Square and Tverskoy Boulevard, where a stage near the Yesenin monument has been used. The area is easy to cover on foot in a few hours. See the Kuznetsky Most and Kitay-Gorod guides on this site.
Tip: Walk from Tverskaya Square to Kuznetsky Most to hear several stages in one afternoon.
Zaryadye Park and the park venues
The amphitheater in Zaryadye Park has been a festival venue, and the festival has also used Gorky Park and VDNKh, two of the most visited places in the city, as well as Moscow City. The park venues are open spaces where families can stay for longer. See the Zaryadye Park and VDNKh guides on this site.
Tip: Choose a park venue if you want space and a quieter atmosphere.
Workshops and the children's vocal school
Venues offer free workshops, in vocals, music, crafts, dance and cooking, and a vocal and stage school where children sing in concerts for their parents. Admission is usually first come, first served, and adults can join if places remain. The language is mostly Russian. The program changes every year.
Tip: Go early in the day if you want a place in a popular workshop.
Flea markets and the May holidays
In some editions the festival includes a flea market on the Boulevard Ring, on Nikitsky, Tverskoy and Gogolevsky Boulevards, with antiques, Soviet-era items, paintings and designers' clothes, and events tied to the May holidays and Victory Day. See the Spring and Labour Day in Moscow and Victory Day in Moscow guides on this site. These elements vary by year.
Tip: Check the current list of venues for the market before planning around it.
What It Means for Your Visit
The festival is not a public holiday, but it overlaps with the May holidays, so offices and banks may be closed on some days while shops, museums and restaurants are open. The effects are local: central streets and squares are crowded on weekends, some squares may be partly fenced for stages, and the metro is busy in the evenings. Concerts and workshops are spread across the day.
Streets near the venues can have short closures, and weather in late April and May can be cool or wet, so plan an indoor alternative. Check the festival’s official website and the city portal for the current dates, venues and schedule, since they change every year.
Atmosphere
In spring the festival gives the central streets a light, festive feel: small stages on squares with groups singing unamplified harmonies, children lining up for vocal classes, the smell of street food and the buzz of crowds out for the May holidays. Trees are in fresh leaf and flowerbeds are being planted.
The mood is relaxed and musical, with passers-by stopping to listen and applaud, and at night the lit streets keep the crowd out until late. Weather in late April and May ranges from cool and wet to warm. The crowd varies by venue and no figures were verified.
History of Moscow Spring Festival
Moscow Seasons is a city program of festivals for each season, with Journey to Christmas in winter and festivals in spring, summer and autumn. The Moscow Spring festival is its spring edition, usually held in late April and early May to coincide with the May holidays, and it combines themed programs, workshops and concerts at central and district venues.
The Moscow Spring A Cappella festival was first held in the spring of 2017, and its second edition in 2018, from 27 April to 9 May, brought together some 1,600 performers from 16 countries and 40 Russian regions at dozens of venues, using the city’s streets and squares as concert stages. The third edition ran from 1 to 12 May at 51 venues, with participants from 26 countries and a Grand Prix, and it later added stages on the river and in the districts.
The festival was planned for late May and early June in 2020 and was cancelled that year because of the pandemic, with new dates to be announced later. The festival’s organizers have reported large audiences in past editions, though those figures are not repeated here.
In other editions the general Moscow Spring festival has run from late April to 9 May, with workshops for children, a vocal and stage school and events honoring veterans, at central venues open from mid-morning and neighborhood venues from midday. The dates, venues and themes are announced each year by the city and on the festival’s website.
Tickets and Booking for Moscow Spring Festival
Entry to the festival venues and concerts is free, with no ticket or booking. Workshops are usually open on a first-come, first-served basis, and adults may take part if there are free places. Food, rides and special programs may charge their own prices, usually on the spot. The program is organized by the city as part of Moscow Seasons and the A Cappella festival has its own schedule, published a short time before the festival opens. Details change every year, so no program or prices are given here.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so bring rubles in cash for food and stalls, 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 Moscow Spring Festival
How to Get to Moscow Spring Festival
Tverskaya Square is served by Tverskaya (Line 2), Pushkinskaya (Line 7) and Chekhovskaya (Line 9), which form one interchange. Manezhnaya Square is reached from Okhotny Ryad (Line 1) and Revolution Square from Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Line 3). The exits and walking times were not verified. For park and district venues, choose one near a metro station.
- 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 and streets are mostly level, as far as is known, but crowds and fencing at stages make movement difficult, so check conditions at each venue before you go.
Food Nearby
Cafes and restaurants around Tverskaya Street, Kamergersky Lane and Kuznetsky Most are busy, and festival venues have food stalls. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours on site.
What to Bring
A rain jacket and a warm layer for changeable spring weather, comfortable shoes for walking between venues, and rubles in cash for food and small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Moscow Spring Festival
A stage on Tverskaya Square
A small stage with a vocal group performing and a crowd gathered in front of the Mayor's building. It shows the festival in the main street.
Best time: Afternoon.
Kamergersky Lane
A narrow pedestrian lane with a stage between cafes and the facade of the Moscow Art Theater nearby. The crowds and the old buildings make a lively frame.
Best time: Evening light.
The amphitheater in Zaryadye Park
The park's amphitheater with the Kremlin and the river nearby, when a concert is held there. The setting is a good match for a singing festival.
Best time: Late afternoon.
Tverskoy Boulevard near the Yesenin monument
A tree-lined boulevard in fresh spring leaf with a stage and walkers. It shows the green side of the festival.
Best time: Morning or late afternoon.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules for the festival were found. Performers and children at workshops may not want to be photographed, so ask first, and security zones near the Kremlin and Red Square may restrict tripods and drones. Drone rules in Moscow are strict and were not checked.
Family Suitability
The festival suits families very well, with free workshops, children's vocal classes, quests and concerts, and most events are in open spaces. Crowds on weekends and changeable spring weather are the main limits. Stroller access on the central squares is generally fine, though crowded stages can be tight.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Check the day's schedule on the festival's own website, since stages and programs change each day.
- Choose a district or park venue if the central squares are too crowded on a holiday weekend.
- Go early to workshops, since places are first come, first served.
- Combine the festival with Victory Day in Moscow and Spring and Labour Day in Moscow if your dates match, but expect closures on 9 May.
- Carry a rain layer, since late April and May weather changes quickly.
- Walk from Tverskaya Square to Kuznetsky Most to hear several stages in a single walk.
Explore Nearby Moscow Spring Festival
Sights near Moscow Spring Festival
Zaryadye Park Moscowabout 1.6 km away (~27 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.
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.
Metro stations near Moscow Spring Festival
Tverskaya Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 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.
Pushkinskaya Metro Stationabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Moscow Spring Festival
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 Moscow Spring Festival
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 Moscow Spring Festival
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 Moscow Spring Festival
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.
Easter Gift Festival in Moscowabout 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.
Related guides
Tverskoy: Tverskaya Street, Bolshoi Theatre and Pushkin SquareMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kuznetsky Most: Moscow’s Old Shopping Street and French ShopsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kitay-Gorod: Walls, Varvarka Street and What to SeeMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Patriarch’s Ponds: The Master and Margarita Pond and Its ParkMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow in Spring: Gardens and Riverside Walks Itinerary: One-Day RouteMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Tverskoy · All Entertainment · All Events & Holidays
FAQ: Moscow Spring Festival
When is the Moscow Spring Festival?
Usually from late April into May, around the May holidays.
Is it free?
Yes, entry to the venues, concerts and most workshops is free.
What is Moscow Spring A Cappella?
An international vocal contest with free concerts across the city, held since 2017.
Where are the main venues?
Tverskaya, Manezhnaya and Revolution Squares, Kamergersky Lane and Kuznetsky Most.
Are there venues in parks?
Yes, including Zaryadye Park, Gorky Park and VDNKh in past editions.
Do I need to register for workshops?
Usually not; they are first come, first served.
Was the festival ever cancelled?
The A Cappella festival was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic.
Is it the same as Maslenitsa?
No, Maslenitsa is a separate pre-Lent folk festival; see its guide.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026.
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