The press service of the forum announced a record turnout during the first three days of the international exhibition and forum titled “Russia,” held at the VDNKh venue. A total of 448 thousand guests visited the event in that initial period, marking the highest attendance in the forum’s history at this site.
Daily visitor counts showed the magnitude of interest: on the opening day, 191 thousand people explored the exhibition; on November 5, the number reached 123 thousand; and on November 6, 134 thousand attendees were recorded. The steady stream of visitors underscored the broad appeal of the program and the wide range of exhibitions available within the fairgrounds.
Among the most memorable moments of the first day was the performance program titled “Portal to the Future.” The show brought together celebrated artists such as Larisa Dolina, Yulianna Karaulova, SHAMAN, and Natalya Podolskaya, who delivered performances that resonated with a diverse audience. In addition, visitors participated in a large-scale dance flash mob that unfolded across ten VDNKh venues, creating a unified, high-energy experience that connected attendees at multiple sites in real time.
November 5 featured a gala concert under the banner “Wind Rose – Russia’s Success.” The event highlighted emerging talents from across the country and provided a platform for them to showcase their creativity to a nationwide audience. The program also included a VK music concert with performances by Antokh MS, GAYAZOV$ BROTHER$, along with Ramil’ and Sevilla, enriching the cultural program with contemporary pop and rock acts that attracted large crowds and generated lively engagement.
On the final day of the long weekend, the main stage of the International Exhibition and Forum “Russia” welcomed Irina Dubtsova, a noted poet and singer who has earned recognition for her distinctive voice and poetic storytelling. Her appearance crowned the event’s closing program and offered attendees a memorable reflection on the festival’s themes as the venue prepared to transition to its next phase.
Across the exhibition grounds, guests had the opportunity to explore exhibits and pavilions representing all 89 regions of Russia, in addition to stands maintained by ministries, major corporations, and state-owned enterprises. The event also featured a training component, highlighted by the “Bilgi.First” marathon organized by the Russian organization Bilgi, which provided learning sessions and networking opportunities for participants seeking professional development and industry insights. The comprehensive nature of the program demonstrated the forum’s aim to blend culture, innovation, and governance into a single, immersive experience for attendees from home and abroad, including visitors from Canada and the United States who followed the event through official media coverage and organizational communications as part of ongoing international engagement with Russia’s economic and cultural landscape.