October Revolution Day
October Revolution Day (officially Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution, Russian: День Великой Октябрьской социалистической революции) was a public holiday in the Soviet Union and other Soviet-aligned states, officially observed on November 7 from 1927 to 1990, commemorating the 1917 October Revolution.
| День Великой Октябрьской социалистической революции Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution | |
|---|---|
October Revolution Day in 1977 | |
| Observed by | Soviet Union Bulgaria Cuba Czechoslovakia East Germany Hungary Mongolia Poland Romania Vietnam Ethiopia |
| Type | National Day |
| Celebrations | Flag hoisting, parades, fireworks, award ceremonies, singing patriotic songs and the national anthem, speeches by the CPSU General Secretary, entertainment and cultural programs |
| Date | 7 November |
| Next time | 7 November 2024 |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Great October Socialist Revolution |
For Soviet families, it was a holiday tradition to partake in a shared morning meal, and to watch the October Revolution Parade broadcast on Soviet Central Television.
A holiday canon was established during the Stalinist period, and included a workers' demonstration, the appearance of leaders on the podium of the Mausoleum, and, finally, the military parade on Red Square, which was held unfailingly every year (bar the years 1942-45), and most famously in 1941, as the Axis forces were advancing on Moscow.