Maybe summer is over, but the fun doesn’t have to be. This weekend is absolutely jam-packed with events since Moscow is celebrating its 860th birthday.

Traditionally Moscow’s official birthday is celebrated the first weekend of September. The holiday celebrations – including concerts, exhibitions, competitions, festivals, and, of course, fireworks – take place all over the Russian capital for three days.

It goes without saying that, this time organisers will have tried their utmost to make sure all tastes are catered for.

Open air

Being held for the first time this year, an international rock fest ‘Happy Birthday, Moskva“ has attracted not only both Russian rock heavyweights and newcomers but foreign bands as well on the stage of Gorky Park’s Green Theatre (Zeleny Teatr).  Among the participants are well-known bands such as B2 (B-dva), Nogu Svelo, and Gorod 312, young musicians like Slide and Milasa among others. Also, such legends of Russian music as Kalinov Most, Tsvety (The Flowers), Vladimir Kuzmin, and Dmitry Chetvergov will sing their ‘Happy Birthday’ to Moscow.

'Bi-2' ('Би-2')

Finally, Swedes ‘Santana the Experience’ and Milanese group “Mamaguay” will perform at the Green Theatre. The fest will last for two days – Friday 31 and Saturday 1 – from 5 pm.

Address: Krymsky val, 9, building 33, Oktyabrskaya or Park Kultury metro stations, TEL: 236-2716

On Saturday, Teatralnaya square, which is right in the city centre, welcomes everyone to enjoy fun and exciting shows – a waiter’s race and a Guinness Book of Records festival. That’s from 11 am to 4 pm. Then a gala programme entitled ‘About you, me and Moscow’ will be held here.    

A theatrical performance entitled ‘Moscow Time’ will be performed on Tverskaya Square at noon. Then it’ll be music time from 3 pm, when the final round of the ‘Songs about Moscow’ contest takes place here.  

Red Square welcomes music gourmets for ‘Masterpieces of violin art’ concert, which starts at 2000.

At around the same time, lovers of classical and spiritual music are invited to another concert – at the square in front of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

Meanwhile, various programmes await those who prefer to stay further from the packed city centre and go to Poklonnaya Gora instead.

Tsaritsyno State Museum-Reserve

Moreover, this weekend a long-awaited wish of almost all Muscovites is finally about to come true.  Several buildings at the Tsaritsyno State Museum-Reserve  will be opened on Saturday. Its centre is the largest palatial ensemble in Russia – the residence of Catherine the Great built between 1775 and 1796 by the famous Russian architects Vasiliy Bazhenov and Matvey Kazakov in the romantic “gothic taste”. Following the death of the Empress the architectural design was not completed and for over 200 years the palatial ensemble lay in had ruins. However, thanks to the efforts of restorers, themajestic ruins have been turned into a picturesque architectural site framed by huge park – and all that not far from the centre of the city.  The opening ceremony is scheduled for 3 pm, September 1.

For those who love flowers, the All-Russian Exhibition Centre at VDNH metro station has organised an International Exhibition of Flower and Landscape Design. And, indeed, there’s more to come. Youngsters should not miss events within the ‘Nastroika’ (or ‘Adjustment’) project, which includes almost everything teenagers can be interested in: roller-blading, skate-boarding, computer games, break-dancing, disco, bands’ performances, bikes, motorbikes, and street-ball, to name a few. What’s more, on Sunday 2 the site will host the Barbecue Championship.

Also on September 2, pop stars will perform in a special concert on Teatralnaya Square from 2 pm till 8 pm.

That’s not quite the full list of events planned in Moscow for the coming weekend as there will be smaller-scale celebrations in all Moscow districts. 

Also, don’t forget about the fireworks on Sunday at 10 pm. 

Music

Numerous outdoor celebrations don't mean that Moscow clubs will be quiet and there will be quite a few interesting gigs this week.

'Brainstorm'

Latvian band ‘Brainstorm’ will hit the stage of B1 Maximum. The rock band is among the most popular in its homeland and is gaining popularity in Russia. So don’t miss their live concert on Saturday 1 at 9 pm.

Address: B1 Maximum Club, Ordzhonikidze st., 11, Leninsky Prospekt metro station, TEL:   648-6777

Another must visit is Leningrad’s performance on Friday at Tochka. Led by scandalous yet talented ‘wild man’ Sergey Shnurov, the St. Petersburg’s ska-punk band with their foul language is really popular in Russia. In addition to being the frontman, ‘Shnur’ has composed music to movies including the cult Russian film ‘Boomer’ (which is a slang word for a BMW car). The gig starts at 8:30 pm. Ticket prices range from 1600 to 4000 roubles.

Address: Leninsky prospekt, 6, building 7, Oktyabrskaya metro station, TEL: 737-76-66

They perform traditional Macedonian, Serbian, and Croatian music. The widest range of human experiences, from sadness and longing to happiness and exhilaration is expressed through ritual songs, cheerful dances, hilarious satirical songs and love songs. When they are on stage, their goal is to have fun and to relax. In little more than two years of active performing they've  had around ninety concerts in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia where they have always been able to make audiences dance or get in touch their feelings. Afion, a folk group from Croatia play at the Moscow Union of Composers on August 31 at 8:30 pm and on September 1 at 8 pm.

Address: Bryusov lane, 8/10 build 2, Pushkinskaya or Okhotny Ryad metro station, TEL: 629-65-63

Exhibitions
 
”Three Centuries of American Art",  the most significant exhibition of American art that has ever been presented in Russia, is on display at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts from July 24 to Sept 9, 2007.  The exhibition commemorates the 200th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and the U.S. More than 100 canvases from leading U.S. museums and private collections are presented. The show is organised by the Solomon Guggenheim Fund and has already taken place in Beijing and Shanghai. It can be regarded as a complete guide to American art. Portraits, landscapes, avant-garde and abstract works are presented. All schools of fine art can be found at the exhibition. Of course any exhibition of U.S. art wouldn't be complete without Pop Art paintings.

‘The Fair of Handicrafts – 2007’ in Izmailovo

To watch Russia Today’s report on the exhibition of American art, please, follow the link.

Address:  Volkhonka st., 12, Kropotkinskaya metro station, TEL:  203-9578, 203-7412 (excursions)

On September 1 – 2, “Kremlin in Izmailovo” invites everyone to the fourth annual international festival entitled ‘The Fair of Handicrafts – 2007’. The event will bring together the best craftsmen from all over Russia.  Not only will you have a chance to see their masterpieces, but you'll also get an opportunity to practise your own skills in pottery, blacksmithing or even presenting a tea ceremony.  
 
Address : Centre of Crafts ‘Russkoye Podvor’je’ (Russian Metochion) Izmailovskoe shosse, building 73 “g”, Partizanskaya or Cherkizovskaya metro stations, Excursions Center: TEL: 166-58-38, 166-58-48

Cinema

Parker Posey in ‘Fay Grim’

Action films are a rarity at 35MM cinema, known as the home of art movies in Moscow.  But this weekend is an exception. ‘Fay Grim’ is the name of a new Hollywood spy-thriller starring Jeff Goldblum and Parker Posey. The story starts when an ordinary housewife finds out that her ordinary husband is really a secret agent. He's also in possession of some very important data which intelligence services across the world are anxious to get their hands on.  

And you'll need to be 18 or older to get into the evening shows of 35MM this weekend.  That's because the theatre is sceening ‘Destricted’, a film by a group of famous directors that walks the thin line between provocative art and pornography. You've been warned!
 
Address: Pokrovka street, 47/24, Metro 'Kurskaya' or 'Krasnye Vorota', tel. 917-18-83

The Dome cinema is showing 'Stardust' the sreen adaptation of a fantasy novel by one of America's favourite science-fiction authors – Neil Gaiman. It also happens to be the most expensive British movie of all time. You can also watch 'Transformers'  from director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg and ‘Knocked up’, a shocking comedy dedicated to the hardships of pregnancy

Address: Olimpisky Prospect 18/1 (The Renaissance Hotel), 'Prospect mira' metro

Have a great weekend!