Moscow Prepares for Pandemic New Year's
Muscovites are bracing for an unconventional holiday season after the cancellation of the city’s annual Christmas and New Year’s festivities, the closure of late-night entertainment and new restrictions on cinemas and theaters.
Despite the restrictions, Moscow is already putting up extravagant lighting displays across the city, inviting residents to enjoy a festive stroll through the city — the one form of holiday entertainment that rising coronavirus cases couldn’t take away.
Here’s a closer look at how the capital is preparing to ring in the New Year:
Despite the restrictions, Moscow is already putting up extravagant lighting displays across the city, inviting residents to enjoy a festive stroll through the city — the one form of holiday entertainment that rising coronavirus cases couldn’t take away.
Here’s a closer look at how the capital is preparing to ring in the New Year:
Christmas trees and sparkly lights arrived on Moscow's streets this week.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
A curtain of lights illuminates Nikolskaya Street next to Red Square.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
Even though holiday markets have been canceled, Christmas decorations are already available in shops across the city.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
In addition to shopping for gifts, snapping a selfie at GUM shopping mall while it's decorated for the season is a holiday must.
Sergei Bobylev / TASS
Moscow authorities decided to take the budget-friendly route and reuse last year's holiday decorations.
Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency
Light installations near Hotel Ukraina were among the first to go up this year.
Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency
With more than a month until New Year's Eve, it looks like Muscovites are already eager to say goodbye to 2020. Can we blame them?
Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency
