Famous 1939 parade of Soviet athletes reenacted at Russia EXPO

More than 200 people marched at VDNKh to mark the Soviet-era physical culture parade this week
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The event was held at VDNKh in Moscow this week

A spectacular event replicating the famous Soviet parade of athletes was hosted on Thursday by the Russia EXPO international exhibition at the All-Russian Exhibition Center (VDNKh) in Moscow.

Designed to promote physical education and sports among the Soviet people, the all-athletes parade was held in Red Square, Moscow on July 18, 1939.

According to Russia EXPO, more than 200 people took part in the reenactment at the VDNKh. They marched around the landmark ‘Stone Flower Fountain’ holding flowers and flags and performing athletic stunts. The participants wore costumes similar to those seen in the ‘Blooming Youth’ movie, which captured the 1939 physical culture parade in color.

“This is exactly the kind of a parade shown in old movies. It is a wonderful tradition that emerged in the 20th century in the USSR,” said parade director Ekaterina Volosovskaya, adding that sport remains critically important.

“I hope that the tradition of physical culture parades will be revived, and that our younger generation will lead healthy lifestyles and engage in sports. Such demonstrations and parades will certainly contribute to this,” she said.

The parade was held as part of the ‘Times and Epochs’ festival, and a broader ‘Summer in Moscow’ project, bringing together all of the city’s traditional festivals and entertainment programs.

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev revealed earlier that there are plans to hold the parade of athletes in Red Square again next year.

Russia EXPO was launched in November 2023 and will continue into next month. The forum has hosted numerous cultural, scientific, and political events. Its main objective is to present the achievements of the Russian people in a wide variety of sectors within a single venue.