New Year at the RUSSIA EXPO: What to do at VDNH on December 31 and on the night of January 1

On December 31, concerts, festivals, masterclasses ent will await guests of all ages at the Russia Expo. See all locations and events of the New Year’s Eve hours in our playbill.

"The day of December 31 is probably associated with the brightest and kindest emotions from childhood. And we tried to make sure that the events of the RUSSIA EXPO would enhance these emotions, leaving none of our guests indifferent. Every minute of the day there will be interesting and exciting events where you will be able to learn something new, get acquainted with the best examples of creativity, and interact with bright people. And the New Year theme will unite all of them and will be present even in small things. Every day at the Exposition is unique, but December 31 will be special. On this day it will be possible to celebrate the New Year 11 times at once, making wishes together with the residents of each time zone of our country",— said Deputy Director General of the ANO «Directorate of the Exhibition of Achievements "Russia"» Anastasia Zvyagina.

Concerts, quests and gifts

All pavilions will be open on December 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Moskvichka cover band will perform in Pavilion No. 75 in the Cultural Projects Zone: a team of inspired professionals will bring the mood and the best hits to visitors on December 31 at 12:00.

The New Year’s quest "When the clock strikes 12…" will start at 14:30 and will be repeated at 2:00 on January 1 on the square near the Friendship of Peoples Fountain in front of the Main Street Stage next to Pavilion R. Here guests will be able to receive sweet gifts or mittens from the organizers — all they need to do is share their selfies with the hashtags #НовогодняяРоссия #СпасибоРодная.

Publish VKontakte posts and stories with the hashtag #выставкаРоссия. It is most convenient to do this via a special chatbot, by scanning the QR code on the signs of our volunteers or in the VK hut near the Friendship of Peoples Fountain. You should dress warmer: during the quest you will have to go around several locations at once.

At the same time at the Main Stage, you will be able to get tasty and unusual gifts in the interactive zone New Year’s Russia. To do this you will have to ring a special bell and receive tangerines from Abkhazia, Tula gingerbread, Kostroma marshmallows, Kabardin candies or a branded lollipop from the RUSSIA EXPO.

The concert New Year with a Bang will start on the Main Street Stage next to Pavilion R at 14:30 and will last until 2 a.m. on January 1: the main gift will be performances by famous artists.

Celebrating the New Year in every time zone

On the Main Stage of the Exposition, it will be possible to celebrate the New Year 11 times at once by making the same number of wishes together with the residents of each time zone of Russia. The Far East will be the first to receive congratulations at 15:00 Moscow time. After 22:00 on the main stage there will be a drawing of prizes from the RUSSIA EXPO and partners. The New Year marathon will end on January 1 at 1 a.m., when the year 2024 will come to all homes in the westernmost point of the country — the Kaliningrad region.

Winter wizards from all corners of the country

Russian Ded Morozes will be actively working to create a New Year mood among the guests. Wizards Mityn Dada from North Ossetia, Ded Moroz from Kabardino-Balkaria and Cossack Ded Moroz from the Stavropol region will be the first to greet guests at 14:30 at the Festival of Ice Sculptures at Pavilion J. And at 15:30, at the main New Year tree at the exit from Pavilion A Achievements of Russia, guests will be met by Tatar Kysh Babai and Mordovian Yaksham Atya.

Afterwards, "grandfathers" will appear in two locations alternately once an hour: at 16:30 at Pavilion J — Hel Muchi from Chuvashia and Kodzyd Pol from Komi, at 17:30 at the main New Year tree — Chyskhaan and Ekhee Dyyl from Yakutia, at 18:30 at Pavilion J — Buryat Sagaan Ubgen and Yushto Kugyza from Mari El, at 19:30 at the main New Year tree — Tuvan Sook Irey, at 20:30 at the Ice Sculpture Festival — Pakkaine, Ded Halla and Talvi Ukko from Karelia, at 21:30 at the main New Year tree — Yamal Irey from the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, at 22:30 at Pavilion J — Udmurt Tol Babai, at 23:30 at the main New Year tree — the main all-Russian Ded Moroz from Veliky Ustyug.

The main address of the New Year’s Eve night

And, of course, the huge screen of VDNH will show the New Year’s address of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin: it will be cozy as home, snowy and at the same time unusual, as there will be Moscow residents and guests of the capital, who also changed the environment for the sake of a special event and mood.

The International RUSSIA EXPO is the most important achievements of the country gathered in one place. Throughout the entire time of the exposition, guests can look forward to cultural and entertainment events, a rich business and educational program. The expositions of 89 Russian regions, leading federal agencies, corporations and public organizations are presented to the visitors.