The Tatar people hold sacred many nice and kind traditions of ancient times. National holidays, such as Nauruz and Pan-cake Day, religious Kurban-bairam, Christmas and Ramazan are celebrated in Kazan. The brightest one is Sabantui, or harvest Holiday, which comes after field-work finishing. Sabantui begins on Friday and lasts a whole week. Traditional competitions and games, which take place at Sabantui, are connected with heathen believes of the Tatars’ ancestors. The brightest entertainment of the holiday is national fighting (koresh) and horse-race.

Nauruz is a spring day of ancient Oriental origin, which symbolizes renovation. Usually it is celebrated on March 21-22, when the New Year by Oriental calendar comes in. It is the day of vernal equinox, when day and night became equal and spring begins. Nauruz-bairam is celebrated with various national games, sport events and horse-race. According to the tradition people wish happiness, longevity and well-being to each other on the celebration day of Nauruz-bairam.

It is impossible to imagine cultural life of Kazan without the Day of the City, which is celebrated on August 30. Public outdoor fetes, concerts, sport competitions are held in all districts of the city on the day. The holiday is ended with a big colorful firework.

Public Holidays and Memorial Dates::

• New Year - December 31, January 1, 2
• Christmas - January 7
• Motherland Defender’s Day - February, 23
• International Women’s Day - March 8
• Victory Day - May 9
• Russia’s Day - June 12
• Sabantui – (Harvest Festival) a national public holiday, dedicated to spring field-work finishing (June). The date of the holiday celebration is annually set by the president of the Tatarstan republic.
• Tatarstan Republic Day - August 30
• Tatarstan Constitution Day  - November 6
• Russian Constitution Day - December 12
• Kurban-bairam. The date of the holiday celebration is calculated by lunar calendar and approved by the State Employment Committee of the Tatarstan republic every year.