Kyiv Day 2026: When to Celebrate and Where to Go
Kyiv Day in 2026 will be celebrated on May 31—the last Sunday of the month. This year, the holiday coincides with Trinity Sunday and will take place during the fourth year of full-scale war.
Despite the anxiety and the difficult situation in the country, the capital has prepared a series of cultural, charitable, and artistic events for City Day.
History of Kyiv Day
Kyiv Day was first celebrated in 1982 during the commemoration of the capital’s 1,500th anniversary.
The exact date of Kyiv’s founding remains a subject of debate among historians. According to tour guide Yulia Bevzenko, the first written mentions of Kyiv date back to 930, but historian Matvii Stryikovsky believed the city was founded as early as 430.
In the USSR, it was decided to officially count the capital’s age starting from 482.
“We’ll celebrate now, and if we’re wrong, let future generations correct us later,” Yulia Bevzenko quotes Volodymyr Shcherbytsky as saying.
Over time, the celebration became a tradition: starting in 1984, art exhibitions began to be held on Andriivsky Uzviz, and in 1987, Kyiv Day was officially established as a city holiday.
Before the full-scale war, large-scale concerts, festivals, and charity events were held in the capital.
“Run Under the Chestnut Trees” 2026
One of the main traditions of Kyiv Day remains the charity “Run Under the Chestnut Trees.”
Due to martial law, the event will be held online again this year.
Organizers are encouraging participants to run or walk 5 kilometers and post a photo or video with the hashtags #probig2026 and #runningforlittlehearts.
To participate, you must register and pay a charitable contribution of 400 hryvnias.
After registration, each participant will receive a starter kit: a bracelet and a race number. It can be picked up at the organizers’ office in Kyiv, via Nova Poshta anywhere in Ukraine, or at the office in Kyiv. Participants taking part from abroad will be able to download their personalized race number from their participant account on the Run’s website.
On Kyiv Day, May 31, 2026, wear your bib, post a photo or video on social media with the hashtags #probig2026 and #runningforlittlehearts.
Last year, the organizers raised 2 million hryvnias for equipment for the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.
Where to go on Kyiv Day 2026
Kyiv City History Museum
The exhibition “I Shook This World”—a jubilee exhibition of works by Ivan Marchuk—runs through June 21.
Address: 7
Bohdan Khmelnytskyi St. Wed.–Sun.: 12:00–19:00
320 / 160 UAH
Pavlo Tychyna Apartment Museum
On May 31, the concert “To You, My Kyiv!” will take place
The program features folk singing and a performance by the “Dyvogray” ensemble.
Address: 5
Tereshchenkivska St. Time: 3:00 PM
Tickets: starting at 200 UAH
Mykhailo Hrushevsky Museum
On May 30, a curator-led tour titled “FAMOUS/IN THE FRAME/AT HOME: Kyiv and Kyivans in Mykola Ozerov’s Photos” will take place
Address: 9
Pankivska St. Time: 12:00
p.m. Tickets: 200 / 100 UAH
Ivan Honchar Museum
On May 30–31, the folk art fair and festival “Kobzar Trinity 2026” will take place.
Guests can enjoy master classes, traditional music and dance, a ceramics and ethnic goods fair, and children’s programs.
Address: 19
Lavrska St. 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Tickets: 100 UAH
Admission is free for children under 16, military personnel, and veterans.
May 27 marks the Day of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while Muslims around the world celebrate one of the most important religious holidays—Eid al-Adha.
