In Irkutsk, City Day was marked by a carnival, interactive venues, concerts and a festive fireworks display. A special event was the Seven I ceremony, where seven couples received marriage certificates on the holiday itself, and white doves were released into the sky as a symbol of love and peace. On the main stage, winners of the Spring Drop festival performed, as well as the bands Estrada, Torba na Kruche and Surganova and Orchestra as part of the Cultural Capital festival. The celebration also featured residents with disabilities and a 12 minute fireworks display on the Lower Embankment.

The celebration was organized by the Department of Culture of the Irkutsk City Administration and the municipal institution “Prazdnik,” with support from sponsors.
From 12 noon, interactive venues for adults and children began operating in Kirov Square. From 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Irkutsk carnival took place. After it ended, the winners and prizewinners of the “Spring Drop” festival of children’s and youth creativity performed on the main stage set up near the regional government building, followed by the awarding of the best teams of the Irkutsk carnival.
Then a beautiful “Seven-I” ceremony was held. Irkutsk Mayor Viktor Kondrashov and the head of the Irkutsk Region Civil Registry Office, Oleg Vlasenko, presented marriage certificates to seven couples who registered their marriages on City Day. At the end of the ceremony, white doves flew into the sky as a symbol of love and peace.
All Irkutsk residents and guests of the city were greeted by Irkutsk Mayor Viktor Kondrashov and Chairman of the Irkutsk City Duma Alexander Khankhalaev.
Then the musical program began. Performing for Irkutsk residents were the Irkutsk band Estrada and guests from St. Petersburg: the bands Torba-na-Kruche and Surganova i Orkestr.
The St. Petersburg musicians came to Irkutsk as part of the “Cultural Capital” arts festival. It was held in our city for the first time and was organized by the Irkutsk festival center “Baikal XL,” the educational center “Edelweiss,” and the St. Petersburg art salon “Nevsky, 24,” with support from the Irkutsk city administration and the largest private energy company, EuroSibEnergo. The festival program included unique projects that had never before been presented in our city. From June 3 to 7, Irkutsk hosted an exhibition of works by the famous artists’ collective “Mitki,” a retrospective of the best competition entries from the “Short Film” short film festival, and the “Video Art” film project, as well as exhibitions, installations, and master classes by the most prominent representatives of the St. Petersburg lomography school. Since June 3, the “Kartonia” community organized a three-day street performance in the main square of the “Modny Kvartal” shopping and entertainment complex: together with city residents, a Cardboard City was created. A concert by the only horn orchestra in Russia also took place.
As in the previous year, people with disabilities attended the City Day festivities on June 7. This event was organized by the city foundation “Heritage of Irkutsk Philanthropists” with support from the city administration, the regional volunteer development center “Do Good,” and the Avenue taxi service. Sixty-five adults and children with disabilities attended the festive events. For their comfortable stay during the carnival procession and the festive concert, a special area was allocated, and volunteers were also on duty.
City Day concluded with a festive 12-minute fireworks display on the Lower Embankment.