Mid-spring is a great time to plan a trip to Moscow or Saint Petersburg. The change of seasons is already in the air; the sun is finally not just shining but truly warming up, yet the cities' unique atmosphere remains, not overwhelmed by a riot of colors. You still need to look for them indoors, for example, at exhibitions and festivals. We've gathered the most interesting options in one article to make it easier for you to navigate. Grab your Saint Petersburg – Moscow tickets and let's go!

Moscow

Contemporary Art Fair «Art Russia 2026»

One of the key events in the country's cultural calendar, bringing together artists, gallerists, curators, patrons, and everyone who closely follows contemporary art under one roof. Here you will see projects from major Russian and foreign galleries, works by young independent artists, regional initiatives, and international pavilions. The fair format combines an exhibition-sale and a forum: guests can expect lectures and discussions on the art market, careers in art, the artist's personal brand, as well as the intersection of art with science and other disciplines.

Dates: April 2-5, 2026

Ticket prices: from 500 ₽

Venue: Gostiny Dvor, Ilyinka, 4

Exhibition «Beyond Any Framework»

An interactive journey into the world of great artists, where classics come alive and speak to the viewer. Exhibits can be touched, their elements rearranged, visitors can pose as characters from famous paintings, and feel like participants in art history, not just observers. The exhibition is presented from the perspective of the masters themselves: Raphael guides through the halls, Leonardo da Vinci talks about his inventions, Van Gogh about the fate of his ear, Munch about the creation of «The Scream». The project combines humor, drama, and art popularization: it's educational for both adults and children.

Dates: until April 30

Ticket prices: from 1,200 ₽

Venue: Mars Center, Pushkarev Lane, 5

Exhibition «Savrasov and Silence»

The exhibition is dedicated to the poetic world of Russian landscape and offers a rare-in-scale collection of Alexei Savrasov's works in one space. The exposition is structured to show different moods of the landscape – from early, more academic works to mature ones, imbued with silence and inner movement, and is therefore especially valuable for those who want to see Savrasov not through reproductions, but live and in large numbers.

Dates: until May 31

Ticket prices: from 400 ₽

Venue: New Jerusalem, Novo-Ierusalimskaya Embankment, 1

Exhibition «Dziga Vertov. Kino-Eye»

The first retrospective in Russia of the legendary Soviet cinema avant-garde director, timed to coincide with the 130th anniversary of his birth. The project reveals Vertov as a pioneer of documentary cinema, who rejected fictional plots in favor of capturing real life and its montage reinterpretation, which influenced modern culture from music videos to reels. Viewers will see his key films like «Man with a Movie Camera», archival photos, animation, diaries, and materials unfolding on dozens of screens.

Dates: until April 29

Ticket prices: from 400 ₽

Venue: Zotov Center, Khodynskaya, 2, bldg. 1

Animation Festival «Cartoons about the Future»

Non-stop screenings of cartoons from around the world about technology, space, science, and life in a new world – from Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces to modern short films. The program is rich: a scientific lecture series with scientists on AI, physics, and animation, six workshops on techniques like claymation or sand animation on topics of transport, medicine, and energy, a VR cinema with 360° films. Plus, a cartoon parade and a music program with Fixies and Smeshariki. An ideal format for children.

Dates: April 3-5, 2026

Ticket prices: free admission

Venue: Atom Museum at VDNKh, Prospekt Mira, 119 bldg. 19A

Historical Tram Parade

The Historical Tram Parade in Moscow is a vibrant celebration of the capital's transport heritage, where retro trams from different eras come to life. The procession will start at 11:30 AM from the Apakov Tram Depot on Shabolovka, proceed to Danilovskaya Manufactory, and return. Traditionally, the event attracts many spectators, combining historical reconstruction with entertainment: photo zones, treats, and performances, highlighting the long history of the Moscow tram.

Dates: April 4, 2026

Ticket prices: free admission

Venue: Shabolovka Street

Easter in Moscow

On the night of April 11-12, solemn divine services with processions, Easter bells, and liturgies will be held in all city churches. From April 11 to 19, the «Easter Gift» festival will unfold in churchyards and venues like Tverskoy Boulevard: fairs with Easter pastries, souvenirs, treats, performances, and zones for good deeds. The Moscow Easter Festival, led by Valery Gergiev, starts on April 12 and will run until May 10.

Dates: April 11-12, 2026

Ticket prices: free admission

Venue: across Moscow

48th Moscow International Film Festival

The festival combines competitive screenings with creative meetings, retrospectives, and the awarding of prestigious prizes. Last year, over 40,000 people attended, and participants included films from 50 countries; this year, they promise to cast an eye through the camera's viewfinder at new trends in cinematography. The program includes film screenings in 10 cinemas across the capital, so choose the most interesting new releases or beloved films from the past, and go watch a movie!

Dates: April 16-23, 2026

Ticket prices: depends on the specific screening

Venue: across Moscow

Exhibition «Alena's Dreams»

An installation celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary Russian couturier Alena Akhmadullina's work. The project transports viewers into the enchanted «ancient Russian world» of her dreams: dense forests, shady reservoirs, Russian izbas, inhabited by images of enchanted princesses, feathered maidens, and beauties merging with sea waves. The exhibition combines fashion, mythology, and historical artifacts from the museum – carved platbands, kokoshniks, chests, and tiles – revealing Akhmadullina as an artist whose costumes and fabrics come alive in a fairy-tale narrative.

Dates: until April 20, 2026

Ticket prices: 800 ₽

Venue: Historical Museum Exhibition Complex (building of the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812), Revolution Square, 2/3

Saint Petersburg

Dance Open Ballet Festival

10 dance companies from Italy, Spain, France, and other countries, over 350 artists will showcase classical, contemporary, avant-garde, and national dances in five Russian premieres and one Saint Petersburg production. The festival will open with the performance «Ten Little Sins» by Hungarian Inversedance, based on Agatha Christie – a choreographic thriller about morality and responsibility. The culmination will be the star gala concert on April 17, where the stage will transform into a laboratory of plastic ideas with a parade of ballet stars.

Dates: April 4-17, 2026

Ticket prices: from 2,200 ₽

Venue: Alexandrinsky Theatre

White Nights Film Festival

The festival will be held for the tenth, anniversary time. The program has not yet been announced, but traditionally, the event screens works of various genres, with a running time of up to 120 minutes. Great attention is paid to student films, which helps young filmmakers find their first audience. So, if you want to support them, «White Nights» is the festival for you.

Dates: April 23-26, 2026

Ticket prices: to be announced

Venue: various venues in the city

Exhibition «Footwear Masterpieces of the XX Century. From Nazim Mustafaev's Collection»

A unique look at the history of shoe design through the prism of fashion, culture, and eras. The collection, numbering thousands of pairs, reflects social and psychological shifts: from decorative Art Deco of the 1920s-30s with gilding and rhinestones to works by architects like Zaha Hadid. Here you'll find Victorian button-up boots, 50s cantilever shoes, 60s boot-stockings, and 70s platforms, complemented by accessories, clothing, and archival photos.

Dates: until May 31, 2026

Ticket prices: from 600 ₽

Venue: Doc Art Gallery, Uralskaya, 2, bldg. 1

International Motorcycle Show IMIS 2026

A full-fledged three-day motorcycle festival opening the tourist season in the city: custom show «Motosmotr», extreme show «Evolution» with stunts, and the international forum «Motosummit». During the day – test drives, presentations of new gear, a street food zone, and a children's town; in the evening – concerts by musical performers on an open stage. The event unites the industry, sport, and culture of motorcycling for bikers, families, and tourists.

Dates: April 24-26, 2026

Ticket prices: from 1,200 ₽

Venue: Sevkabel Port, Kozhevennaya Line, 40

Exhibition «Oldtimer Gallery»

Russia's largest retro exhibition of vintage cars, motorcycles, and antiques celebrates its 25th anniversary. A huge hall spanning 13,000 m² will transform into a city of the past for three days: over 300 unique exhibits, from humble early cars to luxurious racing models, collected by museums, collectors, and restorers from across the country. The program includes a grand prix in car modeling, displays of restored cars, interactive sessions with toy trolleybuses and drifting on radio-controlled models, and a flea market with antique treasures.

Dates: April 10-12, 2026

Ticket prices: 950 ₽

Venue: Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center

Exhibition «Ianis Chamalidy. Non-Finito»

The first large-scale exhibition by the Saint Petersburg designer. It presents intellectual fashion as a social project and a philosophical statement: the iconic fashion house Ianis Chamalidy helps people find their voice, freeing themselves from trends, through the images of the «black butterfly clan» with their antique motifs, traditional costumes, and transformation of forms. The non-finito concept, inspired by Italian sculptors and ancient art, emphasizes the incompleteness and variability of matter: Ianis does not subjugate fabric but interacts with it, much like Rodin with bronze or Michelangelo with marble. This is a continuation of the research line of fashion as art at «Erarta», where Philip Treacy and Mario Testino were previously exhibited.

Dates: February 27 – June 28, 2026

Ticket prices: 1,500 ₽

Venue: Erarta, 29th Line V.O., Building 2

Fair on the Neva

A cozy fair of handmade goods for the whole family. Participants will present designer ceramics, designer clothing, knitted accessories, jewelry, home decor, plants, natural cosmetics, and handmade toys. And afterwards, you can always stroll along the bay, enjoying the city view – something «Sevkabel» always has in abundance.

Dates: April 11-12, 2026

Ticket prices: free admission

Venue: Sevkabel Port, Kozhevennaya Line, 40

Cocktail Festival

The roof of «Etazhi» is a cult place in itself. Firstly, it is indeed a roof, and access to it is legally open, so the notorious romance of Saint Petersburg rooftops is presented here in a comfortable format. Secondly, «Etazhi» itself deserves attention for its atmosphere, where the hipster scene of the 2010s merges with modern trends. And the cocktail festival demonstrates this well. All you need to do is go up to the roof and decide on your drink of choice – sangria, aperol, mulled wine, or another craft cocktail.

Dates: until May 31, 2026

Ticket prices: from 400 ₽

Venue: Ligovsky Prospekt, 74