Scarlet Sails, St Petersburg

The Scarlet Sails Festival, also known as "Alye Parusa" in Russian, is the most well-known public event during the White Nights. Spectacular fireworks and a large spectacle honoring the end of the school year make this event extremely famous: In St. Petersburg, there is a festival called "Scarlet Sails."

This custom began here after World War II, when schools banded together to commemorate the conclusion of the school year using the symbolism of Alexander Grin's popular children's novel "Scarlet Sails." A boat with red sails was going towards the Winter Palace along the English Embankment and the Admiralty Embankment at the time.

Despite its origins as a way to modernize old revolutionary propaganda, the Scarlet Sails tradition has grown into a famous public event, marking the conclusion of the school year in June every year. The emergence of the "Scarlet Sails" has become the most popular aspect of the White Nights event.

Date: June