According to the organizers, approximately 65,000 graduates from 35 regions of Russia, as well as from about 10 foreign countries, attended the celebration. Well-known Russian artists performed at a large concert on Palace Square, and various festive events and concerts were also organized at other venues throughout the city, according to fontanka.ru.
In 2026, the central theme of “Scarlet Sails” was fairy tales. The water and pyrotechnic show featured well-known characters, complemented by innovative technologies, impressive special effects, and beautiful decorative elements. The organizers drew on plots from Russian fairy tales to explore the themes of friendship, kindness, and love.
The concert on Palace Square took place in a setting dubbed “The City of Dreamers.” The stage area included sets depicting a train station, a shipyard, and a 30-meter-tall lighthouse, as well as multimedia screens with a total area of over 1,000 square meters.
Toward the very end of the event, a gigantic firebird—considered a symbol of good luck and happiness—appeared on the Neva River. It became the centerpiece of a spectacular fireworks display.
As is tradition, the highlight of the celebration was the appearance on the Neva River of the majestic brig “Rossiya” with its scarlet sails. The ship, painted snow-white, sailed past the graduates, turned around, and greeted all the participants of the celebration.
“Scarlet Sails” has won the Grand Prix several times at the European Best Event Awards (BEA) World competition in various categories—as the most significant event of the year, as the best urban event, for its unique water and fireworks performance, and so on.
And the British newspaper The Telegraph included “Scarlet Sails” in its top 10 most-visited tourist events in the world, placing it on par with the Brazilian Carnival and Oktoberfest.
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