The icebreakers St. Petersburg, Captain Zarubin, Captain Sorokin, Nevskaya Zastava and the museum icebreaker Krasin opened their decks to the guests of the 7th Icebreaker Festival held on Lieutenant Schmidt and English Embankments in St. Petersburg on September 19 and 20. More than 50,000 people visited the festival over the two days.

The visitors were able to learn a lot about the icebreaker fleet that helps tap the potential of the Russian Arctic regions. 

“The festival provides a unique opportunity to visit the colossal ships, understand the grandeur of our country’s history and the power of Russian shipbuilding. Every year, more and more tourists come to see the icebreakers parade and the unforgettable tugs waltz. The interest in our event is high this year too,” said Sergei Korneyev, Chair of the Tourism Development Committee, pointing out the festival’s significance.

This year the icebreaker festival adopted a mascot – Ledokolya – a life-size puppet that was presented to the guests on the first day of the event.

In addition to the usual excursions to the icebreakers, the visitors also enjoyed a concert and an exhibition program. During the two days of the festival, about 200 actors performed on its three stages.

The 7th Icebreaker Festival coincided with the First International Arctic Media Congress at the Accessible Arctic forum held at the initiative of the Federal Agency for Tourism on September 18–22. At the forum, experts discussed the establishment of an international communication platform for promoting the Russian Arctic’s unique tourist potential, and attracting additional tourist flows and investment in tourism to Arctic areas.

“We and the Federal Agency for Tourism arranged the 7th Icebreaker Festival especially for the Accessible Arctic forum, where the problems of Arctic tourism were discussed. The events coincided and the forum guests could see this unique happening, unparalleled in the world. It is no coincidence that the Icebreaker Festival was launched in St. Petersburg, Russia’s maritime capital. The festival presents the Russian icebreaking fleet in all its power, making it accessible to a broad section of the public,” Deputy Chair of the Tourism Development Committee Yulia Kuzenskaya, told journalists on Saturday.