March 8th in Russia: Don't miss it!

On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. Following discussions in 1913, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Women's Day ever since.

This 8th of March is strongly anchored in the Russian culture since the Bolshevik revolution in October 1917. It was highlighting at the time of the Soviet Union the role of women in the communism, their heroism at war time to support the Fatherland, their active role in the "friendship among the people" and their struggle for peace... Women's day has become a bank holiday in Russia in 1965 only!
This important date has even been given a street name in Baikonur!

Since the collapse of the Soviet union, the scope of the celebration in Russia reflects more sweet feelings (see text below) whereas in other countries, 8th of March put more emphasis on serious issues women are facing throughout the world.
Some former soviet republics, like Armenia, has dropped women's day to replace it by a "motherhood and beauty" day.

In Baikonur, posters announcing this event are blooming on the city and buildings walls. They are often made on the same model. Few examples are showed below:
This one at the Orion mentions the spring as well, with the presence of tulips,

On the cosmodrome at MIK site 31, colorless posters reminds the rather sad layout of the former "CCCP" publications contrasting with quiet lyric and charming texts written by the management.

In Holliwood, a Baikonur discotheque, the poster advertises 4 days of dancing. The rest cannot be translated for the good reputation of this publication :-)

At the Sputnik hotel, the atmosphere sounds slightly more romantic: a hand-drawn poster by the "men staff", displays a poem dedicated to the "ladies" of the hotel:

The text says: March 8th, Happy celebration!
Women's heart, arms, caress, love, how would the world be empty without them!.
Dear ladies, we wish you all happiness, health and success. On behalf of the [Sputnik] men.

On this date, the ladies of the hotel usually receive presents and the single sputnik customer on this very day has met the tradition on the behalf of all the CryoSat-2 team.
It is not sure that he will attend the continuation of the tradition at Hollywood :-)