Medeu hosts Republic Day flag ceremony on 25 October

Medeu in Almaty will host a Republic Day flag ceremony on 25 October 2026, placing Kazakhstan's national celebration at a high-altitude sports complex above the city. The programme identifies the venue as the Medeu sports complex and gives travellers a specific event to see during the October holiday period.

Republic Day flag ceremony comes to Medeu on 25 October

The Almaty city administration announced the ceremony as part of a wider Republic Day programme running from 22 to 25 October. The event includes concerts, exhibitions, sporting competitions and cultural activities across the city. The flag ceremony at Medeu is scheduled for 25 October, Kazakhstan's Republic Day.

The programme was published by Almaty city authorities on 22 October. A city programme for Republic Day names the sports complex as the venue. A separate report published on 23 October also lists the flag ceremony at the high-altitude complex, confirming the date and place.

The ceremony is one part of a larger public holiday schedule rather than a standalone sporting fixture. The same programme lists an open-air concert on Abai Square on 25 October and the Almaty Puppet Festival, which runs from 20 to 25 October at the State Academic Puppet Theatre.

Medeu's rink puts the ceremony in a mountain setting

The venue is an open-air speed-skating rink in the Zailiysky Alatau, just outside Almaty. Kazakhstan Tourism describes the complex as the world's highest large ice rink, positioned at 1,691 metres above sea level. That altitude gives the ceremony a setting unlike the other city venues in the Republic Day programme.

The rink has a long sporting history. The first natural-ice rink opened there in 1951, while the artificial-ice complex familiar to visitors dates from 1972. The venue later hosted the European Speed Skating Championships in 1974, followed by events at the 2011 Asian Winter Games and the 2017 Almaty Winter Universiade. These milestones help explain why a national ceremony is taking place at a sports site rather than only in a central square.

Above the rink, the Medeu Dam has a staircase of 842 steps known as the Health Ladder. The complex also provides access towards Shymbulak by gondola. The mountain location therefore combines a formal holiday programme with the rink, dam and surrounding gorge as fixed features of the visit. Further background appears in the Kazakhstan Tourism guide to Medeu.

Visiting Medeu: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Republic Day flag ceremony is scheduled for 25 October 2026 at the Medeu sports complex in Almaty.
• The ceremony forms part of the city programme for Republic Day; the published programme does not state a separate access procedure or admission charge.
• Medeu lies south-east of central Almaty in the Zailiysky Alatau, at an elevation of 1,691 metres.
• The site includes the open-air rink, the Medeu Dam and its 842 steps; the mountain terrain requires suitable footwear and care on steep sections.
• Kazakhstan's official language is Kazakh and its national currency is the tenge.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Medeu

When does the Republic Day flag ceremony take place at Medeu?

The ceremony is scheduled for 25 October 2026 at the Medeu sports complex in Almaty.

What is Medeu?

Medeu is an open-air speed-skating rink in the Zailiysky Alatau above Almaty. Kazakhstan Tourism places it at 1,691 metres and describes it as the world's highest large ice rink.

Where is Medeu and how do you get there?

Medeu is in the mountains south-east of central Almaty. The complex is reached from the city by road, with the site also serving as a gateway towards Shymbulak.