White Nights Festival facts for kids

The sky in Saint Petersburg at 11 p.m. on June 28, 2006, showing how bright it stays during the White Nights.

The White Nights Festival is a yearly summer celebration in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It's special because the sun barely sets during this time! From about April 22 to August 21, the sky never gets completely dark. It stays bright like twilight, even at midnight. This happens because Saint Petersburg is very far north, close to the Arctic Circle.

The city of Saint Petersburg organizes this festival. It officially starts on June 11 with "Stars of the White Nights" at the Mariinsky Theatre and usually ends on July 1. However, some performances and events connected to the festival happen before and after these official dates. Many other cities around the world have been inspired by this and now hold their own "White Night" festivals.

In Saint Petersburg, the sun stays low in the sky during summer. Around June 21 (the summer solstice), the sun only dips a little bit below the horizon. This means it never gets truly dark, creating the famous "White Nights." During other times of the year, like in winter, the sun goes much lower, and it gets completely dark at night.

Please note: No festival has been held since 2020.

Festival Highlights

Classical Shows: Stars of the White Nights

The "Stars of the White Nights" is a big part of the festival. It's a series of amazing classical ballet, opera, and orchestral music shows. These performances take place at the Mariinsky Theatre and the Mariinsky Concert Hall. Valery Gergiev is the artistic director, guiding the performances.

This "Stars of the White Nights" festival began in 1993. It was started by Anatoly Sobchak, who was the first mayor of Saint Petersburg. Many famous artists have performed here, including Plácido Domingo, Anna Netrebko, and many other talented musicians and singers.

Scarlet Sails Celebration

The Scarlet Sails celebration is a very popular public event during the White Nights. In Russian, it's called "Alye Parusa." This event is famous for its incredible fireworks and a huge show that celebrates the end of the school year for students. You can see a video of the "Scarlet Sails" celebration in St. Petersburg here: "Scarlet Sails" celebration in St. Petersburg.

The idea of Scarlet Sails became even more popular after a movie called "Alye parusa" (which means "Scarlet sails") came out in 1961. The movie starred Anastasiya Vertinskaya and Vasily Lanovoy.

White Nights Carnivals

During the White Nights Festival, several fun carnivals also take place in Saint Petersburg. These are often parades and street parties.

Star Concerts at Palace Square

A view of Palace Square and the Alexander Column from the Winter Palace.

Every summer, the famous Palace Square in Saint Petersburg turns into a big stage. International pop music stars come to perform concerts here for everyone to enjoy.

White Nights Marathon

From 1990 to 2019, and starting again in 2024, the festival has included the White Nights International Marathon. This event also features a 10K run. Thousands of runners, more than 5,000 each year, take part in these races through the streets of St. Petersburg.

White Nights Festival in the Media

Around the same time as the White Nights Festival, several film festivals also happen in Saint Petersburg.