On 24 August 2026, Ukraine will mark the 35th anniversary of the declaration of independence. In Kyiv, the full programme is still being finalised, whilst Lviv and Zhytomyr have already published a list of cultural and charitable events.<\/p>\n
On Monday, 24 August, Ukraine will mark the 35th anniversary of the declaration of independence. It was on this day in 1991 that the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine, which was endorsed by the people in a nationwide referendum on 1 December of that year.<\/p>\n
The celebrations will take place against the backdrop of a full-scale war, so the main themes of the events will be Ukrainian statehood, commemorating fallen defenders, support for the armed forces, culture and national unity.<\/p>\n
Although 24 August is a public holiday, there is no additional guaranteed day off during martial law. The law stipulates that, during this period, the provisions of the Labour Code regarding public holidays and non-working days do not apply. Working arrangements will be determined by employers and the internal regulations of organisations. The relevant provisions are set out in Article 6 of the Law on Labour Relations during Martial Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n As of 15 August, there is still no complete official programme of events in the capital specifically for 24 August. The Kyiv City State Administration has published a list of cultural events for 17\u201323 August, marking Flag Day and the 35th anniversary of independence.<\/p>\n In particular, themed museum exhibitions, guided tours, lectures and workshops are planned in the capital. From 21 August to 20 September, the \u00abPurr-fect Ukraine\u00bb flower exhibition will be on display at Spivoche Pole. The centrepieces will be ten arrangements featuring images of Ukrainian cats, each of which will tell a separate story about Ukraine.<\/p>\n To mark the 35th anniversary of Independence, the \u00abKyiv Fortress\u00bb will host a photography exhibition entitled \u00abMy Homeland \u2014 Free Ukraine\u00bb. A folk art fair will take place at the Ivan Honchar Museum on 22\u201323 August. The Kyiv City State Administration has published a full list of events in the capital that have already been confirmed<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ukrainians also have until 24 August to enter the \u00abMy Independence Cake\u00bb family recipe competition. The aim is to establish a shared culinary tradition to mark the national holiday. The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine is a partner in the initiative.<\/p>\n At the same time, the concert by the band \u00abBez Obmezhen\u00bb at the NSC \u00abOlimpiyskiy\u00bb, which had previously been announced for 24 August 2026, postponed to 24 August 2027<\/strong>. The organisers explained that the decision was due to a ban on holding such large-scale events at venues without adequate shelter. Tickets purchased previously remain valid.<\/p>\n In Lviv, the programme will run from 21 to 25 August. The following events are scheduled for 24 August itself:<\/p>\n Admission to the fair involves a voluntary donation to support the armed forces. For serving military personnel, veterans and the families of fallen defenders, admission to the event in Shevchenkivskyi Hai will be free of charge. Programme on Lviv\u2019s tourism portal<\/a>.<\/p>\n A marathon entitled \u00ab35 Years of Independence \u2014 35 Events\u00bb will take place in the Zhytomyr region from 17 to 28 August. Scheduled for 24 August are an exhibition of the museum artefact \u00abThe Towel of Independence\u00bb, patriotic events, themed workshops, book displays and a charity concert and fair.<\/p>\n On this day, museums in Zhytomyr will be holding an Open Day \u2014 visitors will be able to view the exhibitions free of charge. Free registration will also be available at the Oleg Olzhych Zhytomyr Regional Universal Scientific Library. The Zhytomyr Regional State Administration has published a detailed programme<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u0423 Independence Day<\/strong> An interactive map for the nationwide children\u2019s project \u00abUkraine Sounds\u00bb will also be launched. The platform will bring together creative works by schoolchildren from different regions of the country. The initiative was launched by the National Police\u2019s Juvenile Prevention Unit and AR Book. The map is set to go live on 24 August.<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s on in Kyiv<\/h2>\n
Concerts and charity events in Lviv<\/h2>\n
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Museums in Zhytomyr are to open their doors to visitors free of charge<\/h2>\n
Nationwide projects and safety rules<\/h2>\n