The Stars of the White Nights Festival was created in 1993 by Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre as a “musical gift” to the city.
The festival ( 27th May – 31st July 2016) focuses on classical masterpieces from around the world, including some rare treasures not often performed live.
There are lots of options from May to July, not just in the historic Mariinsky Theatre, but in other equally impressive venues throughout the city.
There’s also a Jazz Festival, a Brass Music Festival, a Film Festival, a Romantic Music Festival, a Dance Festival, Dostoyevsky festival, even a Sand Sculpture Festival.
One of the most important rituals of St. Petersburg is the 2 a.m. opening of the drawbridges on the River Neva.
They open during the summer navigation season from April to November to allow larger ships to pass into the Baltic Sea.