Christie’s and Sothebys are well known among the Russian elite as places to pick up antique furniture, an artistic masterpiece or an original Pushkin
manuscript. Auctions are also an increasingly popular method of selling property in many countries. In Russia, however, those in the market would find it difficult to name just one recent property auction. This months issue of Real Estate Catalog looks in depth at the relatively undeveloped practice of auctioning residential real estate, and tries to find out why so little goes under the hammer. “The festival was initially aimed at motorcyclists and auto racers between the ages of 20 and 50,” said Pavel Frolov, whose Motorcyclist Union organizes the festival and who will almost certainly not be wearing a bikini at the event. “This year, to attract a wider audience, we selected universally popular entertainers: high-class circus artists, legendary band Boney M, Michael Jackson’s twin, stuntmen and erotic dancers from the best Moscow strip clubs.” The festival opens Friday with a massive carnival show that will feature more than a hundred costumes, ranging from 17th-century ball gowns to cosmonaut suits, said Frolov. The festival, in its second year, takes place almost 50 kilometers outside Moscow and apart from parades and fireworks will also have its own beauty contest where 150 bikini-clad models will compete for the title of “Miss Auto-Moto Bikini 2009” and the top prize of $10,000 and a trip to Greece. The contest involves stripping and dancing and interaction with the audience. At last year’s event, Frolov posed with all 150 contestants as they went topless at the end of the competition. Despite the bacchanalian tone, organizers insist that the event is a respectable one. Indeed, part of the profit will go to charity. The bikers and auto racers will pay respect to a tomb of the unknown soldier Friday, and Saturday they will present a local orphanage with a TV set and other gifts. Organizers say they hope through charitable acts to earn more legitimacy for their festival in the eyes of the government. They did not say if anyone would be wearing bikinis at the events.
The Auto-Moto Bikini 2009 festival will take place Aug. 21-23 at the X-Land Park, 42 km Dmitrovskoye Shosse. For directions and ticket information: and 585-33-79.