Belarus Events Calendar
SEPTEMBER 2026
Armor exhibition at Nesvizh Palace
Throughout the year, visitors to Nesvizh Palace can immerse themselves in the world of ceremonial and hunting weapons. Outstanding examples of officers' dress weapons (daggers, rapiers, shashkas, sabers), coat swords and departmental swords, Masonic ritual swords, and exotic weapons from various countries… These valuable artifacts have been collected and provided by private collector Anatoly Grishuk.
As the owner noted, his interest in the history of weapons first emerged when he found a 1932-model uhlan saber that had belonged to his father. His grandfather served in the Imperial Army and was on the security detail of Nicholas II when the monarch visited our region for military maneuvers in 1892. The exhibition also explores the culture of hunting, where weapons are not only objects of art but also symbols of power and instruments for demonstrating mastery over nature.
A real draw of the exhibition is an installation of a rider on a horse clad in the shining armor of a Winged Hussar of the Grand Duchy of Litva (Lithuania). Guests will also have the opportunity to try on medieval armor, experience its weight, and take photos alongside a figure of Nicholas Radziwill nicknamed the Orphan.
When: 31 October 2025 – 31 October 2026
Where: National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Nesvizh, 2 Zamkovaya Street, Nesvizh, Minsk Oblast
Forgotten Art of Correspondence exhibition in Grodno
For the first time, visitors to the Grodno Historical and Archaeological Museum will have the opportunity to glimpse into the letters of historical figures from Belarus from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The exhibition features the official correspondence of King Stephen Báthory, the private correspondence of Kossovo Palace owner Wandalin Puslovsky (also spelled as Puslowski) and his daughter Marta Krasinska, historian and local lore expert Alexander Yelsky and Eliza Orzeszkowa, a writer from Grodno. A special section is dedicated to letters from the Great Patriotic War period and correspondence of Belarusian writers Yakub Kolas, Vasil Bykov, Mikhas Vasilek, and Aleksei Karpyuk. The exhibition is complemented by various writing instruments, including inkwells, ink bottles, fountain pens, pen boxes, pencils, a paper tray, and paperweights…
When: From November 20
Where: Grodno Historical and Archaeological Museum, 20 Zamkovaya Street, Grodno
‘Journey Through Time’ tour at Mir Castle
Mir Castle, the tourist gem of Belarus, an outstanding 16th-century defensive structure, can now be explored in small and family groups on the “Journey Through Time” tour. Guests will immerse themselves in the past of the famous Radziwiłł and Sviatopolk-Mirsky residence (now a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site) through dialogues with the builders who preserved its 500-year-old walls, as well as with the kitchen master and cook, who reveal the secrets of preparing sweets for the castle's former owners. Sounds and voices from the past will help guests delve into the world of music through forgotten melodies, learn to distinguish instruments such as duda, lute, viola da gamba, and spinet by their sounds, and master the medieval dance Marazulya.
When: Starting 23 January (every Monday and Friday)
Where: Mir Castle, Mir town, Karelichi District, Grodno Obalst
Marc Chagall’s The Walk on display in Minsk
The Walk, one of the world's most recognizable paintings by Marc Chagall from the Russian Museum, was brought to Minsk for the first time. This work, which forms part of a triptych alongside the famous masterpieces Double Portrait and Over the Town, reflects one of the happiest periods in the life of the remarkable artist. Art connoisseurs are in for a romantic and metaphorical stroll together with the young lovers Marc Chagall and Bella Rosenfeld, already married by 1917, through the streets and above their beloved city of Vitebsk. The exhibition offers an immersive VR project: using special glasses, visitors can approach an easel and draw, see how the artist lived and worked, examine objects in the interior, and hear the voices of Marc Chagall and his wife and muse, Bella.
When: 8 April – October 2026
Where: National Art Museum of Belarus, 20 Lenina Street, Minsk
Summer Music and Tourism Season 2026 in Minsk
The summer music and tourism season, which traditionally took place in the Upper Town, as well as on the territory of Trinity Suburb and Rakov Suburb, has over the course of more than 10 years become beloved by residents and visitors of the Belarusian capital. In the current season, the project’s program has been expanded and will extend beyond the historical center of Minsk as well. The main cultural venues will be:
- Historical and cultural park complex Loshitsa on Chizhevskikh Street: theatrical evenings on Fridays, performances by professional musicians on Saturdays;
- Area near the Loshitsa Estate Museum: concerts featuring the Nemiga Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theater will take place every Saturday;
- Area near the Minsk City Hall in the Upper Town: music lovers can expect traditional events, including the series Classics at the City Hall, as well as the return after five years of the project Jazz Evenings at the City Hall;
- Upper Town Concert Hall: the Organ in the Upper Town project (every Saturday);
- Muzykalny Lane in the Upper Town: Your Solo karaoke on Saturdays (18:00–21:00);
- Upper Town: children’s activity zones Workshop of Wonders and Reading Symphony, informational and educational programs, and interactive activities;
- Area near the Sports Palace: evening film screenings, music and intellectual quizss, family activities (Friday through Sunday).
On the opening day of the season, 23 May, the Minsk Folk Crafts Festival will take place in the Upper Town. The summer weekend of 27-28 June will host Flax Festival. Rodnaye Modnaye, where designers will showcase their collections and surprise visitors with new looks made from Belarusian flax.
When: 23 May – 12 September
Where: Minsk cultural venues
ARS MAGNA ORGANI 2026 festival
The ARS MAGNA ORGANI 2026 festival in Pinsk will be held for the sixth time. The playbill in the new season offers 29 concerts in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Pinsk, featuring renowned performers and young organists and organ students from various parts of the country. The festival will open on 30 May with a grand concert featuring the Minsk Chamber Soloists under the baton of Dmitry Zubov (organ).
When: 30 May – 4 October, 16.00
Where: Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 18 Lenin Street, Pinsk
Tours behind the scenes of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus
How does the Bolshoi Theater live? What happens on stage while the audience is resting? And what secrets are kept on the other side of the curtain? You can find out about all this on tours offered to guests at the country’s main theater. The guides will tell you about the theatre’s vibrant life, the intricacies of creating props, costumes and sets, the capabilities of the stage, and the most interesting chapters of its history. On weekdays, visitors can see the safety curtain, observe the preparations for the evening performance and see how large-scale sets are created and chat with the masters of theatrical costume.
When: 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 September
Where: National Academic Opera and Ballet Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, 1 Parizhskoi Kommuny Square, Minsk
Marc Chagall. Over the City exhibition in Vitebsk
While the famous painting The Walk (1917–1918) by Marc Chagall, from the collection of the State Russian Museum, is on display in Minsk for the first time, residents and visitors of Vitebsk, the hometown of the great 20th-century artist, have the opportunity to see another of his masterpieces Over the City (1914–1918) from the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery. What makes this exhibition project unique is that this very canvas offers a detailed depiction of the old city as it no longer exists: the Governor’s Palace, the outlines of Holy Transfiguration Church and the red-brick house (now the Marc Chagall Art Center) are all instantly recognizable. The display is complemented by The Portrait of Marc Chagall (1914), painted by his teacher Yudel Pen, from the holdings of the National Art Museum of Belarus.
When: 13 July –14 September
Where: Art Museum, 32 Lenina Street, Vitebsk
Belarusian Drama Week Concentration at the RTDB
Belarusian Drama Week will present the productions based on works by Belarusian authors, including the renowned Evening by Aleksei Dudarev, the experimental project My Homeland, and the premiere production of The Boor (Kham) based on the novel by Eliza Orzeszkowa, who was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Prior to each performance, there will be a lecture titled Belarusian Drama of the 20th Century and Eliza Orzeszkowa. A special highlight of the program is staged readings, offering audiences the chance to discover contemporary plays relevant to various age groups (such as Ma-Sin-Sin, Why This Matters, and Samson Behind the Door) and to engage in discussion with the authors and actors.
When: 31 August – 5 September
Where: Republican Theaterк of Belarusian Drama (RTBD), 44 Kropotkina Street, Minsk
898th anniversary of Grodno: Signature celebrations and festivals for City Day
The 898th anniversary of the founding of Grodno will be marked on the first weekend of autumn with an extensive festive program. Events kick off on 3 September with a ceremony honoring the city’s distinguished citizens and the opening of a photo exhibition titled Moments of Grodno Beauty. On 4 September, the New Castle will host the Tourism Dialogue forum. Then on Saturday, 5 September, Lenin Square will come alive with the city’s main celebration and a cheese festival, jointly held under the banner The Power of Traditions. A special highlight will be an interactive quest for visitors called the Holiday Participant Passport, in which guests are invited to visit 10 key locations around the city and collect unique stamps by completing various challenges. In the evening, Lenin Square will feature a concert #BestCityOnEarth and at 22.00 the sky above the city will be illuminated by a festive fireworks display, followed by a youth dance program.
When: 4–5 September
Where: Lenin Square, Sovetskaya Pedestrian Street, Gilibert Park, Grodno
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Dazhynki harvest festival 2026 in the regions of Belarus
Since ancient times, the harvest rite of dazhynki in the Slavic calendar marked the end of the grain harvest, and in this way our ancestors celebrated the close of the agricultural year. In Belarus, the Dazhynki festival–fair for rural workers has been held since 1996, with the first national celebration hosted by the city of Stolin in Brest Oblast. Since 2015, the festival has been also held at the regional level, and now each autumn it is held in various towns and villages across every part of the country. The festival of the new harvest traditionally features ceremonies honoring agricultural workers, lively fairs, performances by folk music groups, workshops, competitions, and many other activities.
When and where:
5 September – Zhemchuzhny agrotown (Baranovichi District, Brest Oblast)
19 September – Dzerzhinsk (Minsk Oblast)
26 September – Korelichi (Grodno Oblast), Miory (Vitebsk Oblast), Kalinkovichi (Gomel Oblast), Shklov (Mogilev Oblast)
Potato fest and fair 2026 in Uzda District
The history of this festival, which has found its home in Uzda District, goes back to Soviet times. It was in Deshchenka that the center of potato farming - the A. Suvorov Experimental Farm - was located, where potatoes were not only grown on an industrial scale but also supplied as seed material to other farms in Minsk Oblast. A potato-growing museum was also established at the local school, and it remains open to this day. What began as a school harvest celebration has grown increasingly large over the years, and in 2025 it received a regional status. The 2026 program includes an exhibition of achievements by the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, a creative workshop at the potato museum, tastings of potato-based dishes, a championship for the fastest eating of draniki (potato pancakes), decorative and applied exhibitions, and performances by artists from districts across Minsk Oblast. Newlyweds from Uzda District can look forward to the Potato Wedding, a lively ceremony in folk traditions, while large families are invited to take part in a potato-themed quest. Interestingly, Deshchenka also boasts a monument to potatoes Belarusians’ favorite vegetable: a sculpture of a basket filled with potatoes resting on a large stone.
When: 5 September, 13.00
Where: Deshchenka agrotown, Uzda District, Minsk Oblast
Belarusian Written Language Day in Kostyukovichi
The Belarusian Written Language Day will be hosted for the first time by Kostyukovichi, the easternmost city in Belarus with a history spanning over 500 years. The main themes of this year’s celebration are the Year of the Belarusian Woman, the 85th anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War, and the anniversaries of literary classics. The festivities will kick off with the Book and Press Festival, where visitors can explore a book pavilion, view exhibitions of historical engravings and rare editions, see copies of manuscripts, and step into recreated “writers’ studies”. The program also includes the National Literary Prize awards ceremony, the unveiling of the sculptural composition Ales and Alesya, and a ceremony to dedicate a special commemorative postmark. Attendees can look forward to meet-and-greets, book signings with writers, and a gala concert featuring 20 finalists of the national youth recitation contest Living Classics. In addition to the main events, a mural dedicated to the poets and writers of Kostyukovichi District will be presented, and a memorial plaque in honor of Ivan Chigrinov will be unveiled.
When: 5–6 September
Where: Kostyukovichi, Mogilev Oblast
Science Festival 2026 at the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus
With the start of the new academic year, the Science Festival, the country’s largest popular science event, gathers thousands of visitors at the Botanical Garden in Minsk. Last September, over 38,000 people took part in the 7th edition of this educational forum! This time, the festival, designed to show that science can be thrilling, engaging, and accessible to everyone, will run in a two-day format with free admission. The main stage will feature the opening ceremony, scientific and “nitrogen” shows, expert discussions on science communication and the art of outreach, and intellectual quizzes. Visitors can explore themed zones covering various fields of knowledge such as space, ecology, medicine, the taste of science, history and traditions, smart technologies, and the university of the future. These zines will host lectures, presentations of research by young scientists, hands-on workshops, quizzes, games, and tastings of innovative products.
When: 5–6 September
Where: Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 2в Surganova Street, Minsk
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2026 Minsk Half Marathon
Belarus’ largest running event, Minsk Half Marathon, will take place a week before the City Day celebrations and the 959th anniversary of the capital. The 10th edition in 2025 gathered about 25,000 participants, while this season expects around 30,000 athletes and amateurs from 39 countries.
The program kicks off with the 10km race at 9:00. Next comes the half marathon, 21.097km, at 10:00, followed by the 5km at 13:00, the 3km at 14:00, and the event concludes with family runs divided into three age categories at 15:00. Every runner crossing the finish line will receive a medal featuring architectural landmarks along the route. The DVIZH FEST sports festival will take place at the Dinamo Stadium after the races.
When: 6 September
Where: Dinamo National Olympic Stadium, 8 Kirova Street, Minsk
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EIFMAN GALA: Boris Eifman's St. Petersburg Ballet Theater in Minsk
The 94th season of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus will open with a grand gala concert by the Boris Eifman Ballet Theater of St. Petersburg. Audiences will have the exclusive opportunity to see, in a single evening, selected pieces from the legendary choreographer's internationally renowned productions: Anna Karenina, Rodin, Her Eternal Idol, Beyond Sin, Tchaikovsky. PRO et CONTRA, Russian Hamlet, Passions Moliere Passion, or The Mask of Don Juan and The Seagull. A Ballet Story. The expertly crafted dramatic structure of the concert will allow dance enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the vivid story of the artistic evolution of the theater that will turn 50 in 2027 and its rise to the status of one of the leading ballet companies of our time.
When: 8 and 9 September
Where: Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, 1 Paris Commune Square, Minsk
Sozhski Karahod choreographic arts festival
Sozhski Karahod is a celebration of choreography and a cultural hallmark of the region, transforming Gomel into the dance capital of Belarus. For the 12th time, the atmosphere of friendship, peace, and mutual understanding will bring together connoisseurs of choreography from near and far abroad in Gomel, the city over the Sozh River. This year, the festival is held in the run-up to the city's 884th anniversary celebrations (14 September). The opening ceremony is expected to feature Anna Trubetskaya, the winner of the Slavianski Bazaar 2022; the folklore dance, music, and song company Belye Rosy; and the renowned Nadezhdina State Academic Choreographic Ensemble Beryozka famous for its signature “gliding step”.
When: 9-13 September
Where: Tsentralny Stadium, Gomel regional public and cultural center, city cultural center, Gomel
Belaya Vezha theater festival in Brest
In its anniversary year, the International Theater Festival Belaya Vezha will present 31 performances from 11 countries. The playbill will feature drama, musical, and experimental productions, puppet theater, ballet, Wuju Opera, and street performances. This year it will focus on past laureates, so the Brest stage will once again showcase productions from the festival’s “golden fund”: the contemporary drama It's All Her, the classics Eugene Onegin and The Twelve Chairs with modern music and rap elements, while the Romen company will introduce audiences to Roma culture. The celebratory program will be complemented by the exhibition 30 Years of the Festival in the foyer of the Brest Academic Drama Theater, a conference titled The Theater of Tomorrow: Challenges and Strategies and workshops on stage speech, movement, acting, and even Peking opera! A special gift for Brest residents and visitors will be an open-air performance of Swan Lake by the N. Kasatkina and V. Vasilev State Academic Theater of Classical Ballet (Moscow) staged right on the Francysk Skaryna Embankment.
When: 10–19 September
Where: Brest Academic Drama Theater, Brest Puppet Theater, Brest Regional Public and Cultural Center, Lenin Square, Francysk Skaryna Embankment
Minsk turns 959: Belarus’ capital celebrates City Day
On the second Saturday of September, the Belarusian capital – Minsk – will mark its 959th anniversary since the first chronicle mention. The festivities will begin with a flower-laying ceremony at the Minsk-Hero City obelisk, followed by the international Strongest Firefighter-Rescuer competition and the Ancient Minsk historical reenactment festival. The main events will traditionally take place at the venue near the Palace of Sports from 12:00 to 23:00. In the evening, the Upper Town will host a ceremony honoring the winners of the Minsk Citizen of the Year competition among those who have contributed to the development of the Belarusian capital. Around 15 venues across the city will welcome visitors with fairs, concerts, and sporting events. The highlight of the celebration will be a grand fireworks display near the Palace of Sports at 23:00.
When: 12 September
Where: Minsk, cultural, sports, and entertainment venues across the city
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International Puppet Theater Festival
In its anniversary year, the International Puppet Theater Festival Lyalki Nad Nemanam [Dolls Over the Neman] will bring together the best troupes from Belarus, Russia, China, and Uzbekistan in the city on the Neman. The previous forum in 2024 brought together around 150 participants. The 2026 program will open with Tomosha, performed by the Jizzakh Regional Puppet Theatre from Uzbekistan. Over six days, residents and visitors of the city will see a kaleidoscope of performances, including The Little Humpbacked Horse, Thumbelina, The Story of a Fox, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Water Sprite, After the Snow Queen, Odysseus, Exodus, The Red Shoes, Frog and Toad, Ivan Tsarevich and the Grey Wolf, Cinderella. Trigger, and Alpine Ballad. Special attention will be drawn to Living Puppet Theatre: Ancient Art in a New Light by the Quanzhou Puppet Theater (China), as well as Over the City of Chagall by the St. Petersburg Small Puppet Theater and Symon the Musician by the Grodno Regional Puppet Theater.
When: 15–20 September
Where: Grodno Regional Puppet Theatre, 1/1 Dzerzhinsky Street, Grodno
4th Minsk International Circus Arts Festival
The Minsk International Circus Arts Festival, established in 2017, will bring together performers from 20 countries in the Belarusian capital, including Angola, Belgium, Hungary, Vietnam, Germany, Israel, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, the DPRK, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Romania, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, and France. Minsk residents and visitors will have the opportunity to experience the best achievements of circus arts from around the world. Renowned producers, directors, and circus managers have been invited as jury members and honored guests. Artists will perform in Programs A and B, following which a panel of expert judges will determine the participants for the gala concert. Upon conclusion of the competitive program, winners will be honored with awards - the Grand Prix, two gold medals, two silver medals, two bronze medals, and, notably, one of the most valued prizes - the Audience Choice Award.
When: 17–20 September
Where: Belarusian Circus, 32 Nezavisimosti Avenue, Minsk
Cranes and Cranberries of Miory District 2026 festival
In September, the largest raised bog in Belarus and one of the largest in Europe, Yelnya, amazes visitors with thousands of graceful birds, a crimson berry carpet, and “Martian” landscapes of red and yellow mosses. This is where the country’s largest cranberry harvests are gathered, and where enormous flocks of grey cranes (over 4,000!) stop during their autumn migration. Tens of thousands of geese of various species also arrive here. Visitors to the Cranes and Cranberries of Miory District festival will be able to observe the birds within the reserve, choose the best local homestead in the Wealth of Yelnya on Our Farmstead nomination, buy souvenirs from local artisans, enjoy cranberry juice and cranberry sweets, and even vote for the Miory Cranberry Girl.
When: 19 September
Where: Yelnya National Reserve, Vitebsk Oblast
Animayevka 2026 Animated Film Festival
The International Animated Film Festival Animayevka, with a history spanning over 25 years, invites visitors to enjoy an atmosphere of childhood and creativity. Last year, the forum set new records: 715 films from 78 countries were submitted for the competition. The 2026 program includes competitions for animated films, children’s animation, children’s fine art, and decorative and applied arts. Winners will be announced in more than 10 categories, with special diplomas and jury prizes also awarded. The festival will feature screenings of competition and festival programs, films from previous years, creative meetings, and workshops.
When: 23–25 September
Where: Mogilev
In Shemetovo at the Shostakovichs festival in Minsk
The classical music festival In Shemetovo at the Shostakovichs, held since 2016, is dedicated to the outstanding classical composer of the 20th century, the great maestro Dmitri Shostakovich. The composer’s ancestors, up to his great-grandfather Pyotr Shostakovich, lived near the town of Shemetovo in Myadel District, Minsk Oblast. As part of the festival, a grand celebratory concert will be held in Minsk to mark the great composer’s 120th birthday. The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, under the baton of Maestro Alexander Anisimov, will perform Symphony No. 15, Piano Concerto No. 1, and the Passacaglia from the opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. The soloist of the evening will be Alexander Danilov (piano), a laureate of international competitions.
When: 25 September
Where: Belarusian State Philharmonic, 50 Nezavisimosti Avenue, Minsk
Verasnyouski Fest. Palace in Zhilichi festival
Dubbed “the second Nesvizh” and even “Belarusian Versailles”, the revived architectural monument of classicism from the 18th–19th centuries – the palace which belonged to the noble family of Bulhaks – opens its park and halls to lovers of dance culture and period aesthetics. For this event, historical dance reenactors from across the country gather in Zhilichi to take part in or simply enjoy a magnificent ball. The program also includes museum exhibitions, concerts, themed areas with folk crafts, workshops, fashion shows, and other activities.
When: 26 September, 11:00
Where: Zhilichi Palace and Park Ensemble, agrotown of Zhilichi, Kirov District, Mogilev Oblast
2nd International Industrial Exhibition INNOPROM. Belarus
The large-scale industrial exhibition INNOPROM. Belarus, first held in 2025, brought together more than 14,000 professionals from 24 countries. A total of 520 companies from Belarus, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan showcased their products. The Minsk venue continues to serve as a hub for technological cooperation. The new season is expected to attract even more industry leaders from Belarus, Russia, and other EAEU countries, with a focus on developing cooperation chains and transferring advanced technologies. At the country’s largest exhibition venue, industrial technologies will be presented by Integral, BelAZ, MAZ, Rostec, Rosatom, and other companies.
When: 30 September – 2 October
Where: Minsk International Exhibition Center, 24 Pavliny Medelki Street, Minsk
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