Brest City Day celebrations

Brest was first mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years 999 years ago, in 1019. 28 July 1944 can be by right considered the day of its second birth. It was the date when the city was liberated from the Nazi invaders. Last weekend Brest residents marked these two important events. This year the City Day was a kind of rehearsal for Brest’s forthcoming 1,000th anniversary. The celebrations spread across 10 venues and drew delegations from 11 countries, including Poland, Russia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Serbia, Israel, Georgia, Azerbaijan, France and Turkey.

On 27 July a commemorative ceremony was held at the Brest Hero Fortress and the Svobody Square where local residents laid flowers and wreaths at the monuments to the fallen heroes who defended the city from the Nazis. The ceremony was followed by festivities taking place on numerous venues all over the city. They included the Reading Boulevard book fest, a festival of beach sports, a youth music project City of Light on the Rowing Canal, the Milky Clouds festival of dairy dainties. The festivities wrapped up with a concert of the Brest Philharmonic Society that gave a start to a series of music events taking place in the weekend.    

The City Day opening ceremony was held at the Brest Millennium Monument on 28 July. The traditional program of festivities was complemented by the Evening Symphony concert featuring all kinds of music, from movie themes to symphonic rock and modern classics. Attending the concert was Brest Mayor Alexander Rogachuk. He extended greetings on Brest’s 999th anniversary and unveiled the details of the next year’s celebrations. The city’s 1,000th birthday will be marked with music, cultural and historical events near the Mukhavets River.

The third day of the city’s celebrations featured the Colors of Brest festival in the municipal park. After getting familiar with the exposition of more than 80 flower installations Brest residents could enjoy the Beresteisky Ball at the Academic Drama Theater.

Brest’s 999th birthday celebrations in pictures