The celebration on Viktor Pavlovich Lukachev Street is both a year-end reflection and a stress-relief ritual before exam season—a beloved tradition that turned 34 years old this year.
Viktor Pavlovich Lukachev was the rector under whom Kuybyshev Aviation Institute (now Samara University) made a qualitative leap in its development: student enrollment grew, new academic programs emerged, the first industry-specific research laboratories in the Soviet Union were established, and an entire student town was built—at a time when this was far from mainstream.
Yet Lukachev was also called the "Komsomol rector": having lived through the Great Patriotic War, he viewed the entire student movement as the ultimate indicator of vitality. This was recalled by Evgeny Shakhmatov, Scientific Supervisor of the University and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who remembered receiving his symbolic student ID from the rector's hands as a freshman. In 2026, it was Shakhmatov himself who awarded medals to winners and prize recipients of one of the year's largest intellectual events—the Open International Student Internet Olympiad.
A Kaleidoscope of Student Life
The Lukachev Street Festival has become the quintessence of student life in all its diversity. For one day, the campus forgets about academics; students are swept into the whirlwind of extracurricular activities, and everyone wishes to split into a thousand little "selves" to savor every moment and join every workshop.
A giant air balloon hovering over the student town…
The whistle of wind in your ears during a relay race…
A microphone in hand and a desperate cry: "The river has two banks!"
Customizing a rocket—why not?
The tracks of a robot cutting through the proving ground, holding your breath: what if it gets stuck?
Enormous fish gliding overhead—a photo zone to make you feel underwater…
A frisbee confidently soaring through the air, and suddenly the sail of a yacht flaps near your ear…
Music plays nearby, you feel a partner's hand on your shoulder—and now you're swept up in a spirited polka…
Honored Guests and Sporting Spirit
This year, distinguished guests joined the celebration. Lidia Rogozhinskaya, Regional Minister of Sports, awarded prizes to athletes who excelled at the Regional Universiade, as well as to representatives of institute teams that won the internal Spartakiad. The top three were the Institute of IT and Cybernetics, the Institute of Law, and the Institute of Aerospace Engineering.
Rogozhinskaya reminded attendees that the Lukachev Street Festival began precisely with sports competitions. For many years, the centerpiece was the Open University Track and Field Championships, in which not only students but also city residents, Masters of Sport of international class, and candidates for Master of Sport participated. Judges of republican category stood at the finish line. Winners received a traveling cup and cash prizes.
Alexander Postnikov, Deputy Minister of Social, Demographic, and Family Policy of Samara Oblast, congratulated participants in the "Young Student Family of Samara University" contest and presented the winning diploma to the couple Alexey and Ksenia Pantyushin.
Students were also greeted by Irina Trunova, Deputy Head of the Oktyabrsky District Administration for Social Policy, and Irina Lukacheva, Assistant to the Vice-Rector for General Affairs and granddaughter of the legendary rector.
Guests explored interactive zones and witnessed the festival's most emotional moment: the inter-institute track relay race. The fastest team came from the Institute of IT and Cybernetics.
Rain Can't Dampen the Spirit
A downpour that swept over the campus did not spoil the celebration: the main stage operated indoors in the sports arena. Tables for numerous workshops were also "teleported" inside—handmade crafts continued to draw keen interest. It was on this main stage that the most anticipated event unfolded: the dance battle. Teams from the Institute of Economics and Management, Institute of IT and Cybernetics, Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, Institute of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Faculty of Philology and Journalism, and Institute of Law took part. The victory went to the dancers from the Institute of IT and Cybernetics.
The festival concluded with a chorus performance of the iconic song "The River Has Two Banks." Students formed a large circle, embraced each other's shoulders, and turned on their phone flashlights—a sea of light under one sky.
A Tradition Reinvented
Yana Stepanova, Chair of the Student Council of Samara University, shared insights on organizing this large-scale celebration:
"In 2026, the festival is being held for the 34th time. Every year we refresh its content and concept, enriching the cultural component and thematic focus. The Lukachev Street Festival conveys ideas that express our university's student body. Traditionally, it features interactive zones, sports competitions, a cultural program, evening entertainment, a disco, prize draws, and awards ceremonies.
This year's theme is the symbiosis of nature and urban environment. Like two banks of one river, these spaces are very different, living their own lives—yet their unity is beautiful. Within each person, two states merge: quiet and calm, like nature; and noisy, bright, like a megacity center. Each of us skillfully blends them within ourselves. Every day, we are different."
Due to weather conditions, some program elements were moved indoors this year: the opening ceremony with honored guests took place in the administrative building lobby, while the main stage and several zones operated in the sports arena.
New Additions for 2026
This year's festival introduced fresh workshops: floristry, a Chinese tea ceremony, and a dance class. An interactive BINGO game was added for guests, with prizes from partners awarded for completion. Students also produced a promo video for the festival (affectionately called "PUL" by locals), which played throughout the event. Six institute teams competed in the dance battles, and the celebration concluded with a unifying flash mob.
Photos: Olesya Orina and Alina Kavtaskina
The Lukachev Street Festival proves that traditions need not be static: they can breathe, adapt, and grow—just like the students who keep them alive.
