"Scarlet Sails" – 2026: what time is the start and who will perform at the main graduation ceremony in Russia

The Scarlet Sails Alumni Celebration will be held on June 27 in St. Petersburg, where a large concert with the participation of Russian pop stars will take place on the Palace Square, and the evening will culminate in a large-scale water and pyrotechnic show on the Neva River with the appearance of the brig Rossiya under scarlet sails. This year, the concert program is dedicated to dreams, and the water-pyrotechnic show is dedicated to Russian folk tales. For more information about the event, see the Izvestia article.

"Scarlet Sails" – 2026: date, exact start time

In 2026, the Scarlet Sails festival will be held on June 27, at the height of the white nights, when the city is almost not plunged into darkness. It will begin at 20:00 with a performance by youth groups on the Palace Square. At 22:00, Russian pop stars will take the stage. And after midnight, the legendary brig Rossiya will sail along the Neva River under scarlet sails.

The history and essence of the alumni holiday "Scarlet Sails"

The history of the holiday began in 1968, when the Leningrad authorities decided to hold a special graduation party for high school students, inspired by Alexander Green's fairy tale "Scarlet Sails". In it, Captain Gray fulfills the dream of the girl Assol. On the night of June 28-29, in front of 25,000 young people, the yacht Metalist passed along the Neva River under scarlet sails. The inscription "Secret" glowed on its side — that was the name of the ship on which Assol and Gray sailed away at the end of the story.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Andrey Erstrem

The "Scarlet Sails" were held annually until 1979. During this time, the "main character" of the holiday, the ship, has changed more than once. In 1970, the Metalist was replaced by the schooner Leningrad, created on the basis of the German captured vessel Der Seeteufel. In 1971, the Neva caravel joined the festivities, and from 1972 to 1979, the Bermuda schooner Kodor participated in the main graduation of the country together with Leningrad. However, then the tradition was interrupted.

The Scarlet Sails holiday was revived after a long-term hiatus in 2005 on the initiative of ROSSIYA Joint Stock Bank, the Government of St. Petersburg and Channel Five. From that moment on, it turned into a large-scale multimedia show that millions of people in Russia and abroad are eagerly awaiting.

"Scarlet Sails" in 2026 — the program

In 2026, the concert part of "Scarlet Sails" will be dedicated to the dreams that accompany a person throughout his life. A "City of Dreamers" will be created on the Palace Square, a space where the most cherished desires of graduates are symbolically fulfilled. The audience is waiting for not just a concert, but a whole story about choosing a path, inner strength and a future that everyone builds themselves.

Graduates will become full participants and co-authors of everything that happens on the Palace Square. Their journey through the "City of Dreamers" will be divided into thematic blocks. The first block will bring the children back to the atmosphere of the schoolyards of St. Petersburg, memories of friendship, first love, dreams and beloved teachers.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Lantyukhov

Next, the program will go beyond the borders of one city and turn to the theme of the unity of the country: congratulations will be given to the heroes of our time and the stories of people from different regions of Russia, who once also stood on the threshold of adulthood, and are now ready to share their experiences and inspiration. Thus, the Palace Square will become a place where the most diverse destinies, cities and generations will meet.

The concert part will be completed by the symbolic construction of the ship: in front of the audience, the children's drawing will turn into a magnificent sailboat, ready for a big voyage. This image will emphasize the main idea of the holiday — dreams are born inside a person, and only he himself is able to bring them to life.

Who will perform at the Scarlet Sails on June 27, 2026

The concert on Dvortsovaya Street in 2026 will bring several surprises to the audience at once. For the first time in the history of the festival, several presenters will appear on the stage — Nika Zdorik, Sergey Gorodnichy, Julianna Karaulova, Vyacheslav Makarov and Daria Alexandrova. At the same time, they will go beyond their usual roles and become participants in musical and theatrical performances themselves. Russian pop artists, popular with several generations at once, will also appear on the stage.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov

Anton Lavrentiev and the choir will open the evening. Next, the audience will see performances by Yulia Peresild and the MANDRAGORA group, Alyona Sviridova and Grigory Miroshnichenko, Filatov & Karas, and Julianna Karaulova. Songs by Tatiana Kurtukova, TRITIA, Alex Lima and Lucy Chebotina will be performed in separate blocks.

The concert on Dvortsovaya Street will end with an emotional performance by the headliner of the evening, singer Yelka. This block is called "Everything will work out. Forward to the Dream" will be dedicated to self-reliance and self-reliance. The final number will unite all the participants on the stage.

What time will the brig Rossiya sail across the Neva River under scarlet sails?

The key tradition of the holiday remains the departure of the brig with scarlet sails into the waters of the Neva River. In 2026, the water and pyrotechnic show will begin on June 28 at 00:40.

This year, the Brig Rossiya will repeat its route from last year. It will start at the Senate Square, proceed under the Palace Bridge and perform a 360-degree turn opposite the Winter Groove. Then the ship will head to the Trinity Bridge, welcoming graduates. The return trip will take place from the Troitsky Bridge to the Palace along the Palace Embankment.

Where to watch "Scarlet Sails" – 2026, live broadcast

Only invited graduates and accompanying teachers will be able to get to the Palace Embankment on June 27. For everyone else, the best way to see the Scarlet Sails holiday remains the live broadcast of Channel Five. It will also be possible to watch it on the website and in the official accounts of the TV channel.