Moscow party organizers and clubbing enthusiasts are reaching the time of the inevitable annual doldrums, mid-summer. "We're getting out of here," they say, leaving Moscow's best clubs half-empty and without any significant musical events. "We're getting away from urbanization and enclosed, stuffy clubs." Here are just two of the places they'll be heading to:

Kazantip:

A good number of the capital's clubbers have been heading to Kazantip between July 20 and the end of August for years now. In fact, this year is the 10th anniversary of this Black Sea mixture of beaches and beats. Although it's considered Russia's version of Ibiza - the world-famous club-culture island haven, to which millions of bright-colored, energy-pulsing ravers and the best DJs from around the world flocked throughout the '90s - Kazantip has always had quite a few unique national characteristics.

Its base is located 30 km west of popular Crimean resort Yevpatoriya, in a little village called Mirnyi (Peaceful). The people heading south say a new country begins here - the republic of Kazantip. There's a president, many ministries (cafes), bureaucrats (DJs) and a state culture policy - dance music. They have special money and citizenship cards as well as round-the-clock bars and a DJ at the spin-table. This year's novelty is web-cams that will be placed about the territory.

However, conflicting stories have been told by eyewitnesses of the events over the years. Some say it was their best trip ever, while others come back with quite a number of distraught stories about the occasionally unruly crowd or poor organization, not to mention intense sexual harassment and more than the usual drug excesses.

However, what you're exposed to depends a lot on where you pick to stay. Some come down here in a hippie mood; they sleep right on the beach or in a tent. Others rent little rooms from locals at prices as low as about $5 a day. Meanwhile, those that don't want to commit their whole vacation to this one event rent more "luxurious" rooms, usually at a nearby village or hotel, and travel down a few times a week just for the main partying time.

Ethno Zhizn 2002:

Another getaway from the stress and dust of the city is called Ethno Zhizn 2002. This is more of a nature-harmony and peace-to-the-world type of outdoor gathering. Here the various artistic, cultural and philosophical attributes behind the ideas of nature- and peace-loving get-togethers will all be on display.

The event will take place from July 19-25 in the outskirts of Moscow at the Yakhrom field, where a special tent village is being put up on the shore of the local river. The organizers have proclaimed the main goals of the gathering to be the binding of old traditions, both Russian and faraway, Africa to Asia, to modern times and the propaganda of a healthy lifestyle and positive thinking. With ads out in vegetarian restaurants, yoga salons, Eastern stores and nature-defending organizations, the event has already attracted quite a number of followers and well-known cultural figures.

Performances, traditional dances, Eastern fighting arts, games and meditations will continue throughout the weeklong party. Musically, the main attribute will be rhythms cranked out by Brazilian, African and local percussionists and masters of other ethnic rhythm instruments. Also on the list of sound production are Rada and Ternovnik, Yekaterina, Jah Division, Congolese group Sunmusic and Jembe Africa from Senegal.