"Defense of Taganrog in 1855" is one of Russia's major historical reenactment events that was included in the TOP5 list (ranked 4th as of October 2018) of the best national festivals and weekend events of 2018. It was initiated by two aldermen of Taganrog City Council - Mrs. Yelena Sirota, Mr. Gennady Borodin and has been supported and sponsored by Rostov Oblast Government, Taganrog Local Government, Taganrog City Council, Polimerprom LLC., Taganrog Visitor Information Center, etc.

The annual festival and a large-scale Crimean War reenactment have been held since 2016 in the historic downtown area of Taganrog and takes you back in time to the 19th century. This lively, historical recreation offers a glimpse into the city's history and cultural heritage.

Following the capture of the strategically vital port of Kerch on May 25, 1855, a joint flotilla of 18 steam gunboats commanded by captains Edmund Mubray Lyons (Great Britain) and Marie Casimir Beral de Sedaiges (France) entered the inner part of Azov Sea. The allies destroyed Russian government stores along the coast in Berdiansk, Genitchesk, Arabat Bay and Mariupol. On June 3, 1855 the squadron bombarded the Russian port of Taganrog in order to destroy the provisions for besieged Sebastopol that were kept in government buildings. Although by mid-afternoon all the stores along the quay had been set ablaze, the town's garrison resisted the landing, not letting destruction to be spread further into downtown.

The main reenactment event - rout of the allied landing has been traditionally staged on Pushkin Embankment (Pushkinskaya Naberezhnaya) near the actual landing places of the British and French marines and sailors on June 3 (May 22 Old Style), 1855.

The international festival's program also includes a historical dance workshop, puzzle quests through Taganrog's history, screening of historical and documentary films dedicated to the Crimean War and the city of Taganrog, an old-fashioned fair entitled "The Old Southern Town", a historical costume contest, a ball and a fireworks show.

The 4th edition of "Defense of Taganrog in 1855" was held May 17-19, 2019.

Read press releases on the previous editions of the festival:

May 21, 2019

March 27, 2019

February 26, 2019

December 21, 2018

October 10, 2018

June 6, 2017

June 1, 2016