The USSR celebrated many national and state holidays.
May 1 – International Workers’ Day (Labour Day)
International Workers’ Solidarity Day (May Day) is celebrated annually on May 1 and is intended to remind people of the importance of workers and their rights. This day was recognized as an official holiday in the USSR.
Historically, May 1 was chosen as the date for this holiday in 1889 at the International Socialist Congress, which was held in Paris. The Congress decided to establish an annual commemorative date for international workers’ solidarity, demonstrations and strikes.
Nowadays, the main events on International Workers’ Solidarity Day are rallies, marches and strikes, where workers’ demands for higher wages, better working conditions and protection of their rights are expressed. But in addition to this, concerts, exhibitions and other festive events are also usually held on this day.
May 9 – Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War
This day was celebrated in the USSR, is celebrated in Russia and many other countries to honor the memory of the fallen war heroes. On this day, many parades, rallies, concerts and other events take place in every city. People wear red St. George ribbons to honor the memory of those who defended their homeland.
November 7 – Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution
This is the day when in 1917 the main event in the modern history of Russia took place – the overthrow of the provincial government and the establishment of Soviet power. This event changed the life of Russia and the whole world. On this day, many parades, rallies, concerts, exhibitions and other events are held throughout the country. The symbol of the October Revolution Day is a red banner with a hammer and sickle against a star.
March 8 – International Women’s Day
This day was established at the beginning of the 20th century and is dedicated to the struggle for women’s rights, including gender equality and the right to a voice in public and political life. On this day, women are given flowers, tokens of attention, events and concerts are held. In many countries, March 8 is an official holiday, and women are given an additional day off. One of the symbols of this day is carnations, which women wear on their clothes as a sign of respect for female heroes and defenders of women’s rights.
February 23 – Day of the Soviet Army and Navy
This day was established in honor of the creation of the Red Army in 1918 and is a holiday for all military personnel, as well as veterans of the Great Patriotic War and other conflicts. On this day, numerous events are held throughout the country – parades, military exercises, rallies, ceremonial flower-laying ceremonies at monuments and memorials to fallen soldiers and officers. One of the symbols of this day is stylized weapons – machine guns, grenades, etc., which are often used as elements of decoration and ornamentation.
December 5, October 7 – USSR Constitution Day
In the USSR, until 1977, Constitution Day was celebrated on December 5 – the day of the adoption of the USSR Constitution of 1936. Then the holiday was moved to October 7 (the day of the adoption of the new Constitution of the USSR – the “Constitution of Developed Socialism”).
The Constitution of the USSR defined the principles of organization and functioning of state power, private property, rights and freedoms of citizens. It was the fundamental document of the state system of the USSR and was considered the main value in the country. On the day of the Constitution of the USSR, many festive events and rallies were held throughout the country, and lessons were held in schools dedicated to the significance of this document. Despite the fact that this holiday is no longer celebrated, its significance in the history of the USSR and Russia remains undeniable.
In the USSR, parades and mass events were also held to mark major events: the opening of the Olympics, space flights, the birth of child heroes, etc.