Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Graduation Celebration “Scarlet Sails”
The Scarlet Sails Graduation Festival was recognized as the absolute winner of the XIII annual national award “Event of the Year”. The prestigious award was received in the nomination “Best Direction and Production of the Event” in the category “Innovative Solution of the Year”. The award ceremony took place at the Vladimir Mayakovsky Theater.
The Scarlet Sails graduates’ festival, which has become a calling card not only for St. Petersburg but for all of Russia, has once again confirmed its uniqueness and significance. This award once again emphasizes the highest level of organization and creative work of the team.
The Leningrad Graduation Ball appeared in 1968, and was discontinued in 1979. In 2005, on the initiative of Joint-Stock Bank “ROSSIYA”, the Government of St. Petersburg and Channel Five, the holiday was revived. A ship with scarlet sails reappeared in the waters of the Neva.
All this time, Channel Five has been providing its live television broadcast without fail. For several years in a row, Channel Five’s team has been organizing a colorful water-pyrotechnic show. The main director is Mikhail Kolpakhchiev. The production of the concert part on Palace Square is provided by the event agency “ERA”. In 2024, Vladislav Kabanov and Maxim Akhtyamova acted as directors.
Every year, the organizers of the legendary graduation try to surprise graduates and spectators, using innovative approaches and modern technologies. So last year, the stage complex used many technical means, lifting devices, platforms and suspended mechanisms, scenery hovering in the air, complex art objects. An unprecedented step by artists and designers is the high-altitude arrangement of multimedia screens and the creation of a wave-like non-linear form from them. This has never been done in the world before.
The shape of the structure itself was more airy and open compared to previous years. A minimum number of walls were used. This allowed increasing the viewing angle to 270 degrees. The stage had the shape of a tree with a huge crown, with which various metamorphoses took place. The organizers paid special attention to the lighting component of the concert. The audience was presented with unusual experiments in the form of clear synchronization of computer graphics on LED panels and physical effects of light beams, as well as the work of pyrotechnic devices during the performance of Russian pop stars.
The water-pyrotechnic show in the Neva River water area unfolded in ten locations. Under the salvoes of fireworks and a firefall, the audience, together with the heroes of the show, saw how true love is born and what power it has: it helps to overcome life’s trials. The culmination of the holiday was the appearance of the snow-white brig “Russia” with scarlet sails. A flock of dolphins gliding along the water, which accompanied the ship, added magic to the moment. They were flyboarders in luminous suits. During the final song “There are millions of us”, a crystal opened on the ship – a symbol of true love.
In 2024, the festival was seen by almost 37 million people worldwide. The live broadcast of the water-pyrotechnic show on Channel Five took first place in the federal broadcast in the key audience of the channel “All 25-59” with a share of 11.4%. Over the past 17 years, the festival has been watched by a record number of Russian TV viewers – 7.7% aged 25 to 59. The water extravaganza was also broadcast by other federal channels. Its combined share on the air of four channels is 26.6% in the audience over 18 years old.
The total television audience for the holiday in Russia and the CIS countries reached 25.5 million people.
The fifth also broadcast the legendary graduation online on its website and official social media accounts. In 2024, the show was watched online by 11.3 million people, which is almost 12% more than in 2023.
Reference*
The Event of the Year award has been presented since 2011. During this time, it has gained an audience and fame among professionals in the event industry. The award traditionally identifies the best practices in Russia and covers all event formats, allows you to identify trendsetters and gives a well-deserved assessment of their achievements.