Victory Day in Volgograd in 2025: grandiose light show, air show, concert and fireworks on Mamayev Kurgan

In 2025, Russian citizens celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War (WWII). This is one of the most important holidays in the country's history. This significant date is dedicated to the feat of Soviet soldiers who fought with dignity against the Nazi invaders from June 1941 to May 1945. Every year on May 9, people honor the memory of fallen soldiers and civilians, and honor veterans. Themed events are held in all Russian cities, and tourists come to some cities, such as Volgograd, especially for Victory Day. About what kind of celebrations await the residents of the hero city of Volgograd, see the Izvestia article.

80th anniversary: how will Victory Day 2025 be held in Volgograd?

A rich program of festive events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory has been prepared in Volgograd on May 9, 2025. Residents and guests of the city will enjoy a spectacular air show and an artillery salute. Colorful fireworks, laser and light performances are also planned, which will take place on Mamayev Kurgan, near the monument "Motherland calls!", which has become a symbol of the Victory anniversary.

Commemorative events, creative festivals, patriotic contests, sports competitions and festive concerts will be held in all districts of Volgograd, creating a special atmosphere of gratitude, memory and pride.

On May 8, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., the historic military train train will arrive at Volgograd-1 station. Throughout the day, people will be able to view military equipment from the Great Patriotic War era mounted on platforms — the legendary Katyusha rockets, tanks, and cannons.

According to tradition, a solemn military parade will be held in Volgograd on Victory Day. It will begin at 10:00 on the square of the Fallen Fighters. Parade formations of military personnel, representatives of law enforcement agencies, cadet corps and yunarmey detachments will march along the main square of the city. The motorized column will be opened by the Victory symbol, the legendary T-34 tank. This year's program also includes an air show with the participation of aviation.

As for the Immortal Regiment march, in 2025 the organizers decided to abandon the traditional format. In honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, the action will be held in a new way: portraits of front-line heroes will be carried across the square of Fallen Fighters by the Young Army of the Volgograd region as part of a solemn parade.

Images of veterans will also appear on transport, building facades, on social networks, on large screens and street billboards — so that their memory remains alive in modern urban space.

The Immortal Regiment on Transport campaign has started in Moscow and the Moscow Region

The Light of the Great Victory, the air show, the concert on Mamayev Kurgan

A large-scale program of light, concert and aviation events has been prepared in Volgograd in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. One of the central events will be the patriotic laser light show "The Light of the Great Victory", which viewers will be able to see on Mamayev Kurgan on May 7 and 8 at 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00, and on May 9 at 21:00, 21:45 and 23:00.

Architectural illumination of the monuments of the memorial complex will start working these days from 20:00. In parallel, the show will be shown on the facade of the Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum on May 7, 8 and 9 at 20:30 and 22:00, along with a multimedia tour of four panoramas of Russia.

One of the most spectacular elements of the holiday will be an airshow over the Volga River. It will be available on May 8 from 16:00 to 16:35 and on May 9 from 12:00 to 12:35. The program includes aerobatics from the participants of the All—Russian aviation races "Cup of the Great Victory". The audience will see both classic piston and modern jet aircraft. The Zvezda aerobatic team will take part in the show.

Those who want to attend the main holiday should come to the Central Embankment on May 9 at 11:00. There will be concert venues, film screenings, workshops, exhibitions and photo zones with military equipment. The reenactors will show the field medical unit and treat the guests to soldiers' porridge from a real field kitchen.

From 15:30 to 19:00, a concert program will be held on the lower terrace with the participation of the best creative teams in the region. The culmination will be a gala concert, which will begin at 19:00. The audience is waiting for performances by the Turkish Choir and the Turkish Soprano group with military songs — from Katyusha to Darkling.

Where and at what time to watch fireworks on May 9, 2025 in Volgograd

Fireworks and fireworks on Victory Day in Volgograd on May 9, 2025, can be seen in three places at once. The main artillery salute, accompanied by bright fireworks, will unfold on the Central Embankment.

At the same time, fireworks will be launched on Mamayev Kurgan, at the foot of the country's main memorial, and in the Krasnoarmeysky district, where festive lights will color the sky over Engels Boulevard. The fireworks will start at all three points at the same time — at exactly 22:00.

80 years of Victory: 35+ most beautiful and heartfelt postcards from May 9th

How to get to Mamayev Kurgan and what to visit: instructions for tourists

Mamayev Kurgan is one of the most significant memorial complexes dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. It is located in Volgograd and has become a symbol of the courage and heroism of the Soviet soldiers who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, and it is crowned by the sculpture "Motherland is calling!".

The name "Mamaev Kurgan" is associated with the legend of temnik Mamai, the commander of the Golden Horde, who allegedly used this height as a guard post. During the Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943), Kurgan became the scene of fierce fighting. From September 1942 to January 1943, there were continuous battles, as a result of which the slopes of the mound were literally soaked in the blood of the defenders of the city.

The idea to perpetuate the feat of the defenders of Stalingrad arose immediately after the end of the war. In 1959, the construction of the memorial complex began, which lasted about eight years. Before starting work, the territory had to be thoroughly cleared: sappers defused more than 40 thousand unexploded mines, bombs and shells. The author of the project was the sculptor Evgeny Vuchetich, and the chief engineer was Nikolai Nikitin. The grand opening of the complex took place on October 15, 1967.​

The central figure of the complex is the monument "Motherland calls!", an 85-meter—high statue depicting a woman with a raised sword, calling on the people to defend the Fatherland. It is one of the tallest monuments in the world.

There are different ways to get to Mamayev Kurgan. One of the most convenient is the rapid tram, which follows the route to the Mamayev Kurgan station, from where it is only a few minutes walk to the entrance to the memorial complex.

Trolleybuses No. 8a, No. 9, No. 10a, buses No. 123 and minibuses No. 3c, No. 160, No. 260 also go here. Parking areas are provided nearby for motorists.

The tour of Mamayev Kurgan begins from the Entrance Square, where the sculptural composition "Memory of Generations" is installed. From here, along the avenue of pyramidal poplars, more than 200 m long, you can climb to the Square of Those Who Stood to the Death.

On both sides of the path are towering monumental walls-ruins symbolizing the destroyed Stalingrad. Next, the path leads to Heroes' Square, where an Eternal Flame burns in the Hall of Military Glory, and the walls are crowned with the names of fallen soldiers.

After passing through the Square of Sorrow with the figure of the grieving mother, the visitor goes to the main monument. There is also a military memorial cemetery at the foot of the mound, where the remains of the defenders of the city rest.