Fontanka SUP Festival-Carnival

Фонтанка SUP

View on map
UniqueSaint Petersburg
Dates1 August 2026Confirmed listing
Duration1 dayListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forUnusual spectacle, playful rulesWhat makes Fontanka SUP distinctive is how
Language["ru"]Currency: RUB
CategoryUniqueFestival type
The story

Fontanka SUP Festival-Carnival in Saint Petersburg

Since its modest debut in 2016 with roughly two hundred paddlers, Fontanka SUP has grown into an eleven-thousand-strong costumed paddleboard carnival along the rivers and canals of Saint Petersburg. Held each August 1, participants dress as film characters, mythical creatures, and fantastical animals, turning a stand-up paddleboarding event into a floating parade through the historic waterways at the heart of the city.

Ten years ago, Fontanka SUP was a modest idea from a local news outlet: gather a couple hundred people on paddleboards and send them down the Fontanka river through the heart of Saint Petersburg.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

What makes Fontanka SUP distinctive is how completely it fuses two things that rarely combine: competitive-adjacent stand-up paddleboarding and full costume carnival

02

The mystery stays covered

Rather than a straightforward athletic swim or paddle event, participants dress in fantastical outfits, drawn from film, mythology, and pure invention, dragons, aliens, birds, glittering creatures, turning their paddleboards into moving stage props as they travel Saint Petersburg's rivers and canals

03

The city starts moving

The scale of growth is itself part of the story: from around two hundred participants at its 2016 launch by the Fontanka

04

The water draws everyone in

ru publishing house to ten thousand paddleboard slots that now sell out well in advance, the event has become one of the defining fixtures of the city's summer calendar in barely a decade

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Fontanka SUP began in 2016 as an initiative of the Fontanka

Water and renewal

Living ritual

ru publishing house

The sacred route

Living ritual

launching with around two hundred participants and growing into an internationally recognized paddleboard carnival along Saint Petersburg's rivers and canals

The local code

Living ritual

Held annually on 1 August

Tradition 5

Living ritual

the event centers on elaborate costume

Tradition 6

Living ritual

with paddlers dressing as film characters

Tradition 7

Living ritual

mythical figures

Tradition 8

Living ritual

and fantastical creatures

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

1 August 2026

Getting around

Use the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.

What to wear

Participants wear full costumes, ranging from film characters to mythical creatures to invented fantasy designs, as the central feature of the event; casual clothing underneath a wetsuit or...

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

["ru"] · RUB

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map59.94 N, 30.31 EOpen in Google Maps

Saint Petersburg, Russia

TransportUse the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.
Stay areaStay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Saint Petersburg via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Saint Petersburg, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for August.Compare faresFestival gearParticipants wear full costumes, ranging from film characters to mythical creatures to invented fantasy designs, as the central feature of the event; casual clothing underneath a wetsuit or quick-dry layer is practical for anyone paddling. Spectators should dress for a warm August day along the water, with sun protection given the exposed embankments. Comfortable footwear helps for standing or walking along the canal-side viewing areas.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Russia and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Fontanka SUP Festival-Carnival?

Fontanka SUP Festival-Carnival is listed for 1 August 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Fontanka SUP Festival-Carnival take place?

The festival is listed in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

One day is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLvisit-petersburg.ru
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed dates1 August 2026
Source statusOfficial source linked
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