Public Holidays in Moscow

Until 1918, the Julian calendar was used in Russia, which had 13 days difference with the now-accepted Gregorian calendar. This means that some festivities, like Christmas and the New Year, are celebrated on multiple dates! 

See a list of the main public holidays celebrated in Moscow below:

Public holidays

• New Year's Day & Holiday (Novy god): 1st January, but 2nd to 5th January are public holidays too.
• Orthodox Christmas (Rozhdestvo Khristovo): 7th January (usually includes 6th to 8th January too).
• Defender of the Fatherland Day (Den zashchitnika Otechestva): 23rd February, dedicated to veterans and members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
• International Women's Day: 8th March.
• International Workers' Day: 1st May.
• Victory Day (Den Pobedy): 9th May, celebrating the victory over Nazi Germany.
• Russia Day (Den Rossii): 12th June, celebration of Russian parliament formally declaring sovereignty from the Soviet Union in 1990.
• Unity Day (Den narodnogo edinstva): 4th November, commemorating the popular uprising against Polish invaders in 1612.

Other days which are not public holidays but may be celebrated while you're in Moscow include:

• October Revolution Day: 7th November, reflecting the 13-day calendar difference from 25th October 1917, when it took place.
• (Western) Christmas Day: 25th December.