Eastern European rave Kazantip cancelled (organizers confirm)

What is the world coming to when you can't trust mafia-affiliated Russian drug-and-sex-fueled rave organizers to properly update you the status of an event? No, I'm not speaking of the Sea Dance Festival in Croatia. This is the summer Crimean rave KaZantip.

If you're a westerner and have heard of Kazantip, it's likely from the following Vice video:

This is actually the second, and edited, version but the gist is unchanged. (The original Vice video contained some brief references to things that could get them in legal trouble.)

Women, boats, beach, electronica music and alcohol. What's not to love? To make it even better there really is a partially-constructed nuclear power station where it's traditionally held. The plant was being built when the Chernobyl meltdown occurred and became abandoned after.


While strictly banning drugs at such an event seems far-fetched by western music festival standards, it's apparently true according to some first-hand accounts. Perhaps requiring psychoactive "enhancements" for a music festival is an American dependency they have not acquired.

My first attempt to go to the festival was in the summer of 2014 when it was abruptly cancelled on account of the situation with Crimea. After conflict in Crimea rendered the regular location untenable, those in charge attempted to move to a new location on an island in Cambodia. Naturally, a new trailer was generated for the new location...

(Sidenote: the yellow bag or suitcase is a hallmark of the festival)

I had assumed the same type of Eastern European debauchery might not follow to Southeast asia and thus elected to skip that year. It appears it was the right decision, as Kazantip Cambodia was essentially shut down or heavily neutered by local authorities.

Flash forward a year and Kazantip looked all set to return to Crimea. Awesome! Having already acquired a Russian visa in the past (it's much easier to be re-issued another one later), I was ready to take off to Kazantip this year. Especially after learning that Russian models at Kazantip like American eyes.  I went to check the main site and great news...

The "spirit never dies." But sadly, it has. Digging a little deeper, this fact has been reported in Russian language articles for some time. Translated from another allcrimea.net article...

"We started testing, conducted July 22 an interagency meeting, where each control body has given its opinion - no compliance with the law in their part there," - said Poklonskaya.
She added that she has never been to "Kazantip", but before the event was carried out thanks to the "good corruption component."

Ok, so that automated translating is very iffy. But it seems like she is saying the only reason Kazantip ever was allowed to happen was due to corruption. From kommersant.ru ...

"Crimean prosecutor's office banned the conduct of the music festival "Bifuz" in the Crimea due to the fact that the venue of the festival does not meet the requirements of its operation"

This was posted on July 24th, yet as late as August 1 the moderator on kazantip.com was happily answering questions...

For those of you not as familiar with Russian blog and instant-message culture, they draw text smiley faces without the eyes and with many mouths. ))))))) is equivalent to :) in American style.

But in the last 2 days moderators finally confirmed what they most likely knew for some time. The festival will not be taking place...

At the risk of sounding like a hipster, Kazantip was already dead for some time. That Vice video had millions of views that would doubtlessly lead to Kazantip becoming mainstream and losing its badass eastern bloc feel.

So the question remains: where's the next Kazantip? We need to find it before it's ruined.