On May 1, 2026, the Second Youth Festival of Culture and Traditional Values "Phenomenon" started on the territory of the Church of Archangel Michael in the city of Alupka. Its main venue is a new stage, built in 2026. The playground has a capacity of 1,200 seats. It is planned to hold various events here, including musical, educational, and spiritual ones.
The rector of the church of Archangel Michael, Bishop Nestor of Yalta, was the first to greet the festival guests from the stage.: "In the temple, a person can touch beauty — both prayerful, spiritual, and cultural. When we hear beautiful music or see real paintings, a life filled with joy and divine meaning opens up to us. To reveal a person's creative, human and divine nature — that's what our festival is for. This is a living, authentic life where faith and culture go hand in hand."
Developing the theme of the unity of faith and culture, Sergey Katyshev, the general producer of the festival, took the floor: "Phenomenon is not just an event, but a space where culture, traditions and live communication become accessible to everyone. We see how interest in the festival is growing every year: children and adults enthusiastically participate in master classes, listen to lectures, and applaud the artists. Our task is to show that traditional values are not archaic, but the foundation on which a vibrant modern life is built. And we're doing it."
Herman Gref, Chairman of the Management Board of Sberbank of Russia, thanked the organizers of the festival and the residents of the city for the transformation of Alupka: "I want to thank all those who make the cultural capital of Crimea, the city of Alupka, even more beautiful, and those who work in this temple. There is a place of harmony here. I would also like to say a big thank you to the residents of Alupka — there are more and more caring people who are engaged in the transformation of their own city every year. Together we can make the life of our country and Crimea even better, raise children here and teach them about beautiful and great art."
The festival will last until May 5th inclusive. The program includes more than 80 events: concerts of academic and jazz music; lectures on cultural heritage; master classes in crafts; family film screenings.