With hundreds of events across the city, the May Day holiday promises something for everyone - but that doesn't mean every resident will be proudly marching into town.
Despite the wide range of activities available in town, many Russians still prefer to avoid the official events. Popular alternatives include working - because the holiday pay can be lucrative - or heading into the country for a weekend at the dacha away from the city.
That hasn't stopped the authorities doing their bit to bring communal happiness to the masses, just like the old days.
And, maintaining that collective spirit of old, much of the attention will be on participation rather than standing by and watching.
Events like the South-Eastern district's challenge to "creative collectives" in the Nizhegorodskoye Shosse area aim to get everyone involved in a sporting and artistic relay under the motto "Ready for Summer!", while the Marino area hosts amateur dramatics. The larger parks at Kuzminki and Lyublino host pop concerts and family folklore events over the long weekend.
Driving downtown gets that little bit harder, though, with many of the city's major routes closed on May 1 for various events.
Tverskaya will be closed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., from Belorussky Station to Manezhnaya Ploshchad. At the same time streets will be closed from Kaluzhskaya Ploshchad through Bolshaya Yakimanka district towards Bolshaya Polyanka and the Borovitskaya area, including Bolshoi and Maly Kamenny Most.
Road closures will also affect Tsvetnoi Bulvar, Trubnaya Ploshchad, Bolshoi Putinkovsky Pereulok and parts of Petrovsky Bulvar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. while Mokhovaya, along Okhotny Ryad and up to Lubyanskaya Ploshchad will be shut from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Political demos will close Taras Shevchenko Embankment (11 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.) and Myasnitskaya Ulitsa (1- 3:30 p.m.)
On the rails, regional services will run a Saturday timetable on May 1 and 2.
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