Moscow cancels military festival on Red Square. It’s only been canceled once before — in 2020, due to COVID.
Russia’s Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival has been canceled and will not take place in August 2026 as planned. Organizers announced the decision just four days before the event was due to begin.
The Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival, a prestigious event held annually on Moscow's Red Square, will not take place in August 2026. The organizers announced the cancellation four days prior to the scheduled start date, citing "reasons beyond the organizers' control." This is the second time the festival has been called off, the first occurrence being in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival, which features military orchestras and honor guard units representing heads of state from Russia and other countries, has been held on Red Square since 2007. Originally named "Kremlin Zorya," it was renamed "Spasskaya Tower" in 2009. The 2026 festival had been set to run from August 21 to 30. In June 2026, a Russia Day concert on Red Square was also canceled, marking the first such interruption in 23 years.
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