Victory Day in St. Petersburg in 2025: parade, concerts, large-scale fireworks

On May 9, St. Petersburg will solemnly celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. This day is especially important for Petersburgers, because the multi-day blockade of Leningrad (the former name of the city) has become a symbol of the courage and steadfastness of the entire Soviet people, whose spirit could not be broken by the fascist invaders. This anniversary year, many events have been prepared for the citizens and guests of the Northern Capital: a military parade, concert programs with famous artists, memorial events and a grandiose fireworks display over the Neva River. For more information about the festive program for May 9, 2025, see the Izvestia article.

What will be held on May 9 in St. Petersburg in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory

Large-scale celebrations in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory will be held in St. Petersburg on May 9. Not only residents of the city come to see them, but also numerous tourists who specially come to the Northern Capital for Victory Day.

The celebration will begin with a military parade on the Palace Square. Here you can see more than 5.5 thousand military personnel and law enforcement officers who will march in a solemn march, as well as historical and modern military equipment.

The parade will continue with a retro rally, which is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. WWII veterans will drive authentic vehicles (more than a hundred copies) from Palace Square to Vosstaniya Square and back. Those who want to witness the memorable firing of the Peter and Paul Fortress cannon need to be on site at noon.

During the day, residents of St. Petersburg and guests of the city will be able to visit many of the main venues of the city, where military-historical exhibitions and reconstructions, interactive venues and concerts with the participation of artists are organized. Large screens will also appear on the streets, which will broadcast archival chronicles and documentaries dedicated to the Great Patriotic War.

Those who want to take part in the sixth "Immortal Regiment" must be at the intersection of Nevsky and Suvorovsky Avenues at 15:00. The sixth tour will end at Alexander Nevsky Square.

The Victory Day celebration will culminate with a festive fireworks display that will take place at the Peter and Paul Fortress.

On the eve of May 8, the annual solemn funeral ceremony of laying flowers and wreaths will be held at the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery. This is one of the most significant commemorative events dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. For the residents of the city, this ceremony is not just a ritual, but an important act of collective memory. Piskarevka is a symbol of sorrow, courage and the tragedy that Leningrad experienced.

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Victory Day Parade – 2025 on the Palace Square in St. Petersburg

The Victory Day Parade on Palace Square will begin on May 9 at 10:00 a.m. and will last about two hours. Military personnel and employees of the law enforcement agencies of the Northwestern District, the National Guard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, as well as cadets, cadets, Suvorov and Nakhimov soldiers will take part in the parade. A special feature of the parade will be the participation of the Cossacks of the North-Western Military Cossack Society.

The parade equipment includes modern weapons, retro cars and military equipment. The historical column will feature restored vehicles from the Great Patriotic War, including the legendary T-34 tank, the GAZ-67 army passenger car, BTR-40 armored personnel carriers, as well as armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles BRDM-1 and BRDM-2. The famous Katyusha rocket launchers BM—13NM will close the historical part.

The S-300 Triumph and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, Yars strategic missile systems, Malva and Hyacinth self-propelled artillery systems, as well as modern tanks and armored vehicles will be shown at the Victory Day Parade. It is expected to demonstrate the latest models of military equipment shown at the Army-2024 forum, including the Pantsir-SMD-E anti-aircraft missile and cannon system, Rapira-2 and Rapira-3 UAV detection and destruction systems, the 122-millimeter Clover self-propelled gun, and the armored personnel carrier-22, and others.

A large screen has already been placed on the Palace Square, on which, presumably, there will be a live broadcast of the Victory Day parade from Moscow. The event will also feature panels with portraits of more than 4,000 veterans, residents of St. Petersburg, who participated in the Great Patriotic War. Access to the parade is by invitation only, but it will also be possible to watch it from the Alexander Garden, Hermitage Square and nearby streets.

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Where to go in St. Petersburg-2025: concerts and events

Throughout the day on May 9, concerts and performances dedicated to Victory Day will be held in St. Petersburg. From 15:00 to 20:00, an exhibition of historical military equipment from the Lenreserv collection will be open on the Palace Square, and from 12:00 to 14:00, the Chapel courtyard will turn into a dance and interactive platform with performances by artists in military uniforms and retro attributes.

Festive events and concerts will take place in different areas of the city, including Manezhnaya Square, Rumyantsevsky Garden, Peter and Paul Fortress and Kronstadt. At 12:30 p.m., a theatrical concert with wartime songs and quizzes will begin on Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street. On Yelagin Island, from 14:00 and 16:00, you can listen to the performance of the vocal and instrumental ensemble and the Admiralty Orchestra.

At 3 p.m., a festive concert "From Victory to Victory" will begin on Palace Square with the participation of Russian stars Alexander Rosenbaum, Elena Vaenga, Dmitry Pevtsov, Pelageya, the ensembles Pesnyary and Nevsky Dawns, as well as pupils of the cadet corps of the Ministry of Defense. The program will include songs from the war years and modern patriotic compositions. The concert will end at 19:45 with a general performance of the song "Victory Day".

What time do the lights on the Rostral Columns light up on May 9?

Many tourists come to St. Petersburg to watch the lights on the Rostral Columns come on. This happens only during the solemn holidays. On May 9, the lights will be lit twice: in the morning — from 9:00 to 12:00 and in the evening — from 19:00 to 23:00. This is a traditional ceremony that creates a special atmosphere of celebration and remembrance on Victory Day. The best places to watch are the Palace Embankment, Birzhevoy Bridge and the very Arrow of Vasilyevsky Island.

What time is the fireworks on May 9, 2025 at the Peter and Paul Fortress, where to watch in St. Petersburg

The festive fireworks in honor of Victory Day at the Peter and Paul Fortress will begin on May 9 at 22:00. The Palace Embankment, the Arrow of Vasilyevsky Island, the Troitsky Bridge, the Field of Mars and the Neva embankments are best suited for watching colorful fireworks. You can also see the fireworks from the water if you book a place on a motor ship or boat in advance.

Water transport usually departs from the central berths of the city, such as Sinopskaya Embankment and Fontanka River embankment. The ship makes a circle along the Neva River, passes under the Palace Bridge and stops near the Peter and Paul Fortress, which offers an excellent view of the fireworks.