MOSCOW, FACTBOX. /TASS/. On December 13, 2025, Ryazan launched the festive marathon titled Ryazan - New Year’s Capital of Russia 2026, becoming the first city to hold the title for a second time. The city last hosted New Year celebrations in 2020.
TASS has prepared this factbox on the project dubbed The New Year’s Capital of Russia.
History of the project
In 2012, the Russian Ministry of Culture launched the cultural and educational project titled The New Year’s Capital of Russia to promote inbound, domestic and event tourism in the country. Every year, the ministry’s expert council selects a city, based on applications, to be awarded the status of the New Year’s capital. The criteria include the level of cultural infrastructure development, the availability of venues for mass celebrations, the experience in organizing large-scale events and the candidate’s readiness to host large numbers of tourists.
The winner of the contest titled The New Year’s Capital of Russia must prepare an original program reflecting the region’s unique character, its history and cultural heritage, as well as local traditions and customs. The festive events begin in December and end after the New Year holidays. The project’s symbol is a snowflake, which is passed from city to city and crafted using any chosen technique.
