"Scarlet Sails" – 2026: what time is it in St. Petersburg today

The Scarlet Sails Alumni Celebration has long ceased to be an ordinary school graduation and has turned into one of the largest events in St. Petersburg. Every year, thousands of yesterday's schoolchildren gather in the center of the Northern Capital to celebrate graduation and see the legendary Brig Rossiya. In 2026, the "Scarlet Sails" will be held on June 27. About the start time and key events of the main graduation of the country — in the material of Izvestia.

The Scarlet Sails program consists of two main parts. The first one takes place on the Palace Square, where they organize a big concert for graduates. In 2026, performances by youth groups will begin at 20:00, and Russian pop stars will take the stage at 22:00. Thematically, the concert will be dedicated to dreams, and a "City of Dreamers" will be built on the Palace Square, where the most cherished desires of graduates will come true.

"Scarlet Sails" – 2026: date, what time is the start and what will surprise the organizers

In 2026, the festive event is scheduled for June 27.

At 00:40, the main events will move to the Neva River. The culminating part of the celebration will take place here — the appearance of the brig Rossiya with scarlet sails, accompanied by a large-scale water and pyrotechnic show.

In 2026, the route of the brig Rossiya will be as follows: the vessel will launch at the Senate Square, pass under the Palace Bridge and perform a 360-degree turn opposite the Winter Groove. Then the brig will head towards the Troitsky Bridge, greeting graduates, after which it will proceed back along the Palace Embankment from Troitsky to the Palace Bridge.

The television broadcast of the holiday will be conducted by Channel Five — the live broadcast will begin at 22:00 Moscow time. Filming will be conducted from the water, air and embankments, which will allow viewers to see in detail the passage of the Brig Rossiya.

For the first time, the Scarlet Sails graduation party was held in 1968 in Leningrad. That year, more than 25,000 young people gathered on the Neva embankment to watch the ceremonial passage of the yacht Metalist under scarlet sails. Until 1979, the fairytale show in the Northern Capital was held annually, but then the tradition was interrupted. The holiday was revived in 2005 on the initiative of ROSSIYA Joint Stock Bank, the Government of St. Petersburg and Channel Five. Today, it attracts tens of thousands of graduates, and its broadcast is watched by millions of viewers both in Russia and abroad.

Earlier, Izvestia told which artists will perform at the alumni festival "Scarlet Sails" – 2026.