During the May holidays, hundreds of public events will be held in the capital. During the May holidays, hundreds of public events will be held in the capital. Festive events on May 1

On May 1, 2018, Moscow will host numerous celebrations, performances, festivals and other events that are very interesting to attend with friends and the whole family.

During the May holidays in 2018, movement and parking on certain streets in Moscow will be blocked or limited. In addition, a ban has been introduced on the sale of alcohol in places of numerous celebrations. Certain public transport routes will be changed, and metro stations near the festivities will operate in a special mode.

Free events in Moscow on May 1, 2018: how to relax during the May holidays 2018

May 1 marks a state holiday - Labor Day or Spring and Labor Day. This is a non-working holiday.

In 2018, it falls on the first day of the week. Together with the pre-holiday days, there will be 4 days off - April 29, April 30, May 1 and 2.

Free events in Moscow on May 1, 2018: where to go on May 1 in Moscow

According to traditions, May Day rallies and demonstrations will be held on May 1 on Red Square. Representatives of absolutely all trade unions in Moscow, workers from the Moscow region, students, veterans, and activists will take part in the procession.

At the end of the procession there will be a meeting and speeches of popular public politicians.

Free events in Moscow on May 1, 2018: cultural program on May 1

May 1 is the opening day of the spring-summer season in all parks of the capital, each of which has prepared interesting events for its visitors: festivities, show programs, performances and much more.

There will be a Flower Ball in the 50th Anniversary of October Park on May 1. Guests will see floral decorations and take part in master classes on making flowers from different materials. Cheerful animators dressed as flower fairies will put the guests in a festive mood, and there will be a concert in the evening.

The Hermitage Garden will host a spring Flower Day, the website has learned. Here you can buy cut flowers, flower and hyacinth bulbs, spring primroses and potted plants. In addition, visitors can expect a spring design market and a classical music performance.

In Fili Park, May 1 will be held in the retro genre - with picturesque scenery and melodies of the 1930s–1960s. Guests will attend a concert of musical and dance ensembles, remember the yard fun of the 20th century, and during master classes they will plunge into the creative atmosphere of the Skillful Hands clubs.

There will be a sports celebration at Krasnogvardeisky Ponds. The program includes a demonstration of systematic summer classes, sports master classes from experienced instructors in running, dancing and yoga.

In Izmailovsky Park there will be sports and music competitions and intellectual quizzes, master classes, as well as theatrical performances and performances.

Free events in Moscow on May 1, 2018: “Play May” arts festival

The festival will take place in the Vorontsov Garden on May 1. There will be many thematic art blocks for visitors: scenic, musical, dance and visual.

Young directors will show 3 new performances for adults and children. Artists from major Moscow theaters and students from stage institutes will take part in them.

The best songs from their repertoire will be sung by young vocalists, winners and favorites of professional competitions. And on the dance floor there will be cover teams dancing in the K-pop genre.

Free events in Moscow on May 1, 2018: Moscow Spring festival

During the “Moscow Spring”, the capital will be transformed into a big stage: performances will take place not only at the usual venues of the “Moscow Seasons” festivals, but also on the roofs and balconies of buildings.

The competition connects artists working in the a capella genre (singing without instrumental accompaniment). It is open to musicians who have at least a year of vocal experience and who have reached the age of 18 at the start of the competition.

Free events in Moscow on May 1, 2018: youth festival in Victory Park

The first of May in Victory Park will be dedicated to youth culture: extreme sports, cheerleading and performances of popular artists.

The program will be opened by world professional boxing winner Kostyantin Tszyu. The athlete will talk about his principles of life: training, nutrition and regime; will present a number of boxing techniques for volunteers. During the day, visitors will have a photo and autograph session with Konstantin Tszyu.

Traditionally, the beginning of May is perceived as a reason for relaxation. After all, for Russians this is the beginning of the May holidays, including Spring and Labor Day. But not everyone can tell what history May Day has, and how the name and traditions of the holiday changed.

When did the tradition of celebrating May 1st appear?

If we go deeper into history, then back in ancient times our ancestors organized large-scale celebrations that took place at the end of April and beginning of May. In this way they tried to appease the gods before starting work in the fields. Yes, residents Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, in the last month of spring, organized a big holiday in honor of the goddess Maya, who was the patroness of farmers.

The Slavs celebrated the departure of the spring cold and welcomed the goddess Zhiva, who, according to legend, had the power to revive nature. During the celebrations, people took baths in cold water and burned ritual bonfires on the banks of rivers.

How is May Day connected with workers?

Two centuries ago, the working day of the poor lasted from 12 to 15 hours, which naturally made the people very tired. On April 21, 1856, protest marches were held in Australia by workers who demanded that the working day be reduced to 8 hours without reducing wages. They managed to achieve their goal.

The successful strikes of Australians inspired Americans to fight for their rights. On May 1, 1886, mass protests took place in many US cities. Their center of protests was Chicago, where about 40,000 workers took to the streets to demand a reduction in the working day to 8 hours. The demonstrators were brutally dispersed by the police, and the very next day about 1,000 workers were left on the street without work. Mass layoffs prompted the working class to a new wave of discontent. During new demonstrations, many protesters were shot.

In memory of the victims, the Paris Congress of the Second International declared May 1, 1890, the Day of Solidarity of Workers of the World and proposed to mark it with demonstrations demanding an 8-hour working day and other social demands. The holiday has become an annual event.

How was May 1 celebrated in Russia?

IN Russian Empire May Day was first celebrated in 1890 in Warsaw. IN next year St. Petersburg rejoiced at the Day of Workers of the whole world, albeit underground. May 1 was first openly celebrated in Russia in 1917. In all cities of the country, millions of workers took to the streets with slogans Communist Party“All power to the Soviets,” “Down with the capitalist ministers.”

In 1918, post-revolutionary Russia adopted a law stating that May 1 would be celebrated at the national level. Initially, this holiday was called International Day. Since 1930, May 1st has been known as the International Proletarian Solidarity Day. During the Great Patriotic War it was renamed the Battle Festival of the International Proletariat. Only after this did the official name appear - International Labor Day. Since 1997, on May 1, Russians have celebrated Spring and Labor Day.

How is May 1 celebrated in modern Russia?

The tradition of holding demonstrations on this day has been preserved. Rallies are held by political parties and trade unions. Many people are happy to go out to their country houses or garden plots, and spend the workers' holiday working on the land. People also often go out on May 1st for a picnic with family or friends.

Where else in the world is May 1 celebrated?

The first day of May is officially celebrated as a national holiday in more than 60 countries around the world. Including in Austria, France, China, Turkey, Belgium, etc. Some countries also have their own Labor Day holiday, but celebrate it on a different day. For example, in the USA it is celebrated on the first Monday of September.

The celebration of May 1 in Russian regions is cheerful and massive. In one corner of the country they waltz to pre-war songs and take part in historical reconstructions, in another they hold demonstrations in retro style and hold a Monstration with its original slogans.
On May 1, demonstrations, street processions and rallies traditionally began in the central part of Moscow, timed to coincide with the Spring and Labor holiday and organized nearby political parties and social movements. “In total, based on the applications that were submitted, events with a total number of more than 90 thousand people participating in them were agreed upon. But we’ll see how many people actually come, we’ll see after all the actions take place,” said Alexey Mayorov, head of the capital’s regional security department. About eight thousand police officers and military personnel will ensure security during festive events in the Russian capital internal troops and vigilantes.
St. Petersburg will demonstrate the entire spectrum of political parties and movements in the city. In particular, " United Russia"will march in a column along Nevsky Prospect to Palace Square together with the Federation of Trade Unions of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. "A Just Russia" will form a column on Ligovsky Prospect and will also march along Nevsky. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, in turn, will take part in the procession in a separate column. St. Petersburg branch of the LDPR will hold a rally on the square near the Baltic House theater.

In Bryansk, on Partizan Square, on Spring and Labor Day, the traditional “Memory Watch” opened, participants from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus will search for unburied remains of Soviet soldiers on the battlefields.
In Voronezh, in addition to the May Day procession, the military-historical festival "Victory" began, dedicated to the 68th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany and the 70th anniversary of the defeat of fascist troops near Voronezh. On May 1, city residents will plunge into pre-war times. Couples in civilian and military clothing twirled on the dance floor to the sound of a waltz coming from a gramophone, while police officers in 1940s uniforms were on duty in the central park.
In addition to pre-war and wartime, the regions will also remember the Soviet Union of a later period, RIA Novosti reports. For example, in Perm anyone can buy a glass tomato juice for ten kopecks. Students of Perm State National research university from the creative laboratory of the PTAKh they organized the “May Day column of the Red Banner plant “BytElTekh” named after Marx.” A demonstration with banners, balloons, flowers and songs is promised, as well as a speech by a member of the Supreme Presidium of the 79th convocation. Events are also expected to combat parasitism and drunkenness and promote healthy image life.

A parade of labor collectives of defense enterprises of Udmurtia is taking place in Izhevsk. The Tsar Cannon, mock-ups of missiles and other weapons produced in the republic were shown at the parade. In addition, there will be a parade of vintage cars and vintage motorcycles IZH.
An international rally of bikers began in the Tseysky Gorge in North Ossetia from May 1 to 3, which will be attended by over 200 motorcyclists. Among the guests are more than 120 bikers from Poland, Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Lithuania and Russian cities. The event will begin with the laying of flowers at the Memorial of Glory and a column passing through the central streets of Vladikavkaz. The rally will end with a visit to the school and memorial in memory of those killed in the 2004 terrorist attack in Beslan.
Novosibirsk celebrates May 1 with Monstration - this event is taking place here for the tenth time. The demonstration, which was first organized in 2004, is called a “celebration of spring and absurdity,” and for good reason: young people march through the streets with unusual and often ridiculous posters, but usually do not put forward any political demands.
A barbecue festival is taking place in Belgorod. Tents have been set up in the Central Park of Culture and Recreation, in which chefs prepare meat according to their recipes, and a tasting will be organized for the townspeople. A special jury will determine the best of the prepared dishes. In addition, fountains will be turned on in the city on May 1, including a floating light and musical fountain on the Vezelka River.

The track and field relay race among schoolchildren has started on the main square of Tula, and competitions in roller ski sprint, street basketball, and a bicycle race are also taking place here. In the city's Central Park, sports grounds "A healthy body - a healthy mind" and "Our generation" began operating. For adults, a “Vegetable Garden” has been prepared, dedicated to the opening of the summer season. Tula residents will be offered to build a dacha, arrange summer cottage plot, dig a well and even saw a log at speed.
In Penza, on May 1, a field kitchen opened on Lenin Square, distributing buckwheat porridge with stewed meat. The event will continue with a cultural program prepared by creative groups of the region, and then the sports festival “Basketball May” will take place. Perm political and human rights activists will hold the “Perm Ethical May Day”. This is a cultural and entertainment event, and therefore it is prohibited to bring posters, banners or any propaganda materials to it. In addition, the May Day is prohibited.
May Day is traditionally considered the opening of the “summer season”. In particular, on May 1, one of the largest zoos in Russia, Rostov Zoo, opened its doors to visitors, and the opening of the summer holiday season will take place in Sochi.

Today, May 1, for many, is just an echo of the Soviet past. But his story is interesting and unusual. The article will tell you how International Labor Day transformed. Yes, indeed, the traditions of this celebration date back centuries. At that time, our ancestors celebrated a holiday that symbolized the beginning of a new season of field work. Which means labor.

Goddess Festival

The authorities make many adjustments to the people's perception of certain phenomena. Ruling elite at all times she wanted to root her ideology in society. The scope of their activities extended in all directions: from the interpretation of history to the founding of celebrations.

It is very interesting to form a tradition of celebrating May 1st. What kind of holiday is on the first day of the third month of spring was known back in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Each of these peoples worshiped She was the patroness of farmers. Every year, the peasants organized mass celebrations to appease the goddess. The date was May 1st. On this day, any work was canceled. Everyone celebrated the arrival of the new harvest season. Later the Romans named a month after Maya.

Russian celebration

Modern holidays were also celebrated by the Slavs. April 30 and May 1 were highlighted in red on their calendar. The ritual that our ancestors performed was called Radonitsa. The essence of the May 1 holiday among the Slavs is the departure of the spring cold. On these days the dead were also venerated. Gifts were brought to their graves, among which were the Goddess Zhiva, who had the power to revive nature. The entire day of May 1 was set aside for rest. People bathed in cold water to cleanse themselves and burned ritual bonfires on the banks of rivers.

With the advent of Christianity, church representatives set themselves the goal of exterminating pagan rituals. This applied both to the patroness of fertility, Maya, and to Russian rituals of honoring the dead. But getting rid of the fun and joyful holiday became a difficult task. Everyone knew what an important holiday May 1st was and continued to celebrate it.

Therefore, it was decided to transform traditions. Pagan spring holidays were presented as a celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, adopting some original elements.

First day of workers

Over ten centuries of Christianity, the holiday of the arrival of warmth disappeared and was celebrated as a miracle of resurrection. But historical events made their amendments.

In 1856, Australian workers organized a protest march. The main requirement was to transfer workers to an 8-hour working day and not reduce wages. Then fortune was on their side. They achieved their goal without bloodshed. Since then they have celebrated their victory every year.

Thirty years later, in 1886, on another continent, workers in the United States and Canada decided to also achieve an 8-hour working day through rallies and demonstrations. This happened on May 1st. Everyone knows what kind of holiday this day is, but not everyone knows that its history is tragic.

The strikers sought a limited working day (previously it ranged from 12 to 15 hours), fixed wages and social guarantees. Every city rebelled. But Chicago became the center of the protests.

Motherland May 1

The events in Chicago went down in history as the “Haymarket Rally.” About 40,000 disgruntled workers took to the streets of the city. The next day, one of the leading factories fired more than 1,000 workers. Offended and unemployed people staged another demonstration. Under the gates of that factory, the uprisings were dispersed by the police, with dozens of people injured and several strikers killed.

Even bloodier events occurred three days after May 1. The history of the holiday has taken a new turn.

In Haymarket Square, in a shopping center, a rally was organized against the authorities' violence. Everything was relatively calm. The police were about to clear the square. But one of the provocateurs threw a bomb at the law enforcement officers. The police began firing. Many peaceful protesters were killed in the shooting. Repression followed, and after some time an apology from the authorities.

The whole world learned about the so-called May 1st revolution. What kind of holiday could be based on these events? Of course, they began to celebrate the victory of the workers over the system!

Clandestine May Day

Officially presented the event and introduced the Congress of the Second International to the people. This structure united socialist workers' parties from all over the world. In 1889, it was decided to celebrate Proletariat Day in Paris in memory of those killed in Chicago. The proposal to take to the streets of the city every year and fight for your rights has taken root. Since then, the glory of May 1st has spread throughout the world. The holiday in Russia (during the empire) was first celebrated in 1890 in Warsaw. The following year, St. Petersburg secretly rejoiced at World Workers' Day. There, the workers hid from the governing authorities in the forest. Under the guise of a picnic, people discussed important revolutionary issues. Moscow also picked up the movement. The first proletarian May Day took place there in 1895.

Labor Day was openly celebrated in 1917. The celebration had a strong political overtones. Slogans, exclamations, portraits of political figures - everything was aimed at the class struggle. A year later, with the Soviets coming to power, a law was passed stating that May 1 would henceforth be celebrated at the national level. Every Soviet person knew what kind of holiday it was and how to celebrate it.

Time of the working people

The most striking May Day actions were organized by the Soviet government. The teams prepared for the celebration for weeks. It was not only a day off, but also a large-scale cultural program, planned by the elite.

The Union parades were the envy of the whole world. People went to the demonstrations with pleasure. Everyone competed for the best banner.

In order to bring the masses to the streets in the first years, the authorities cheated. The leaders sent a column of equipment, including a tank, through the main squares. Onlookers gathered to watch the miracle.

The parades of the 20s and 30s were remembered for their magnificent acrobatic and gymnastic performances. Various skits were also staged in which capitalists were ridiculed. This is what the May 1st holiday was like in the Soviet Union.

Labor Day

A celebration began in the Union called International Day. But later the name changed. Since 1930, May 1st has been known as the International Proletarian Solidarity Day. The years of the Great Patriotic War brought their own modifications. Then the day was renamed the Fighting Proletariat. Then a new official name was adopted - International Labor Day. But people simply called it May 1st. The history of the holiday originates in the USA, but it is worth noting that workers there rest on the first Monday of September.

In more than 140 countries, workers are given a day off on May 1 or the first Monday of the month. Another 80 countries celebrate the holiday on a different day.

Forgetting traditions

Today, the scenario for the May 1 holiday has acquired new features. It is worth noting that fewer and fewer Russians want to devote this day to mass protests. Experts argue that this decline in activity is due to the fact that during the communist ideology, participation in the parade was forced, while now even the parade itself has lost its original qualities.

IN modern Russia May 1 has been deprived of its political context and is celebrated as Officially, this status was given to the celebration of December 30, 2001, which is specified in Article 112 Labor Code RF.

People try to spend this day with friends and family in nature, have a good rest and gain strength until the next holidays.