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Dragon Festival, S. Spain, FREE, late March 2007

Guest William of Walworth

By Guest William of Walworth
in overseas festivals

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William of Walworth Newbie

William of Walworth

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Dragon Festival website

ETA (7th November 2007) : 2008 Dragon Festival dates very recently confirmed (subject to being allowed!!) as Thursday 20th March to Sunday 23rd March 2008 (EASTER WEEKEND!!) :blink: (see link above, the website has been updated in the last few days, and I'm about to add more at the end of this thread).

ETA (on 15 January 2007) : Dates for the 2007 DragonFest now addded to website : 16th to 19th March 2007 (a little earlier than the dates for 2006).

Likely to be late March 2007, but no details confirmed yet. Looks from the website that they were unlucky with rain this year, but normally Southern Spain at that time of year is pleasant -- high teens celsius. Which would make a lovely change from the dark and dingy conditions in Britain before the clocks go forward! And an early taste of a flood of festivals for me, later in the season ...

The Festival is in Ciggarones, near Orgiva, Southern Spain, and I've heard some good reports. It's been going for around a decade, sometimes unlicenced, more recently officially licenced. The organisers seem to be a coalition of expat British hippies/Travellers/ex-Travellers mainly from the Orgiva area (where a lot of vehicle dwellers settled) and their Spanish friends.

The whole caboodle seems to be pretty much a 24 hour affair with lots of soundsystems, partying, bands, etc. Someone who went earlier this year described it as similar in atmosphere to an old school British free festival (he's a veteran of these things).

I'm keen to go and have two days to spare around that time, to tack ontom the relevant weekend (Spring Equinox seems likely, which IO *think* will be Friday 23 to Sunday 25 March in 2007) (ETA In fact in 2007, it will be the weekend before).. I doubt it would take more than a couple of hours to fly to Valencia (I'm guessing this is the nearest airport??) -- I'm still a bit vague about geography though.

I'm interested, before deciding for definite, in hearing from ANYONE who's been, who can pass on interesting information, who can tell me more practical advice. I've never been to a festival abroad before (indeed this is my first ever venture into the International subforum!). Being an ignorant monoglot with no facility for languages, the idea of an English-language friendly, and also therefore presumably veggie friendly, foreign festival is appealing as a first step into the Great Abroad of festivals.

So pass on your stories ...

Various slideshows from recent festivals

Looks grand to me!! My type of festival ...

21.jpg

How's yer Spanish?

Some Spanish press cuttings from 2005 (each one clickable for bigger version)

An online report (in Spanish) on the 2006 fest -- "La Fiesta del Dragón se transforma en un festival de música alternativo"

(Above links updated 12 February 2007 -- the old ones had been superceded)

Edited by William of Walworth
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  • 4 weeks later...
purlpower Newbie

purlpower

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Hola, this is my first post on this forum, I found it while searching for info on Dragon 2007!

I've been to two of the Dragon fests over the past few years (2001 and 2006). Last year was indeed very soggy which is practically unheard of down there at that time of year but the atmosphere was still brilliant.

I spent almost all of my time in the green fields part of the site because I'm a singer and was doing a few songs with my band there plus that's where all our mates spread out. They are always looking out for bands to play the live stages so if you know any, give me a shout and I'll pass your details onto my mates who live out there full time.

It's really difficult to describe the Dragon because every year is different depending on who turns up and what the bring. Because it is a free festival of the old skool (as you say) the philosophy behind it is very much 'be the change you want to see' so if you want there to be better food, for example, bring it and set up a cafe. A few years ago some people wanted there to be more live music in addition to the many sounds systems that go out there (from all over but mostly from UK and France I think) so the Green Dragon stage was born. That's how it works.

No mobile phone company sponsorship, no wristbands, compost shitpits and a lot of hardcore 24 hour party people.

I hadn't seen anything like it in the UK but then all the free fests in UK had been outlawed by the time I was old enough to take an interest.....

A few years ago there were problems with the police and the atmosphere was very tense. This year there were no problems at all with allowing the fest to go ahead and apart from an occasional patrol car driving through the site, no noticeable police presence until the end of the fest when they searched many vehicles on the way OUT of the festival. Yep. They didn't seem to mind you taking stuff in and enjoying it but they didn't want any of that craziness spilling out into the 'real world'.

Moral of the story: take what you need to the fest and use it all up there!

Oops, I seem to have rambled on for a bit, I love the Dragon. I have a few pics I could post up here if you like, are we allowed to put pics on this forum?

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purlpower Newbie

purlpower

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Sorry, I've just realised that photos are allowed, here's a few of mine from this year. Please remember that these are all pics of just one tiny bit of the site (the hippy, earth loving bit) and there are lots of banging big sound systems playing Gaba (?sp), reggae, dub and seriously strong techno as well as the live stuff. I was too busy playing and watching bands to take many pics so apologies if these are a bit dull!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/purlp...ed/IMGP8550.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/purlp...ed/IMGP8544.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/purlp...ed/IMGP8539.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/purlp...ed/IMGP8540.jpg

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_phot..._photo=51935336

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_phot..._photo=51789337

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_phot..._photo=51792965

PS> There's also theatre, workshops and arty stuff going on too.....

Edited by purlpower
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purlpower Newbie

purlpower

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Sorry, me AGAIN! I forgot to add:

1. the nearest airport is actually Granada but you can only fly there from Stanstead or Liverpool (with Ryan Air).

2. The second nearest airport (which I fly into from Newcastle) is Malaga. You can fly to Malaga from loads of UK airports as it is the gateway to the Costa del Sol.

From Malaga or Granada you would then need to get a bus to Orgiva. This is about an hour or so from Granada and about three hours from Malaga. Bring a phrasebook with you and you should be fine and will no doubt meet other festival goers on the bus.

When I know the dates for 2007 fest for certain I will post up the details, as you say, it is timed to link in with the Spring Equinox but I have a feeling that this falls midweek next year so there is some debate about which weekend to hold it on.

Food is available on site but is quite limited although there will definitely be veggie food in the Green Fields (I'll be helping to cook it!) alcohol is also widely available but mostly it will be cheap supermarket beer and wine so if you are choosy about what you eat and drink I'd advise you to bring a few things with you.

P.S. Toilets are basic. No one gets paid at the Dragon for things like toilet digging so it is down to goodwill that there are any at all. In 2006 there were compost pits with palates balanced on top of them for you to stand and squat over. If this kind of thing freaks you out then Dragon might not be your favourite kind of festi.

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  • 4 weeks later...
William of Walworth Newbie

William of Walworth

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Excellent posts purlpower, thankyou. Only just seen them as I'm not around this site too much ATM. But that was exactly the type of help I was looking for ;)

Nothing in your description puts me off at all! Those toilets sound a little better than those at Stonehenge 84 or early Glastonburies, been to plenty of festies of all types over the last 22 years, from corporate to underground, I'm not squeamish mate.

Like the idea of Granada being nearest, might get time to see the Alhambra at a quiet time of year ;)

Do you know how near the actual site Orgiva is?

Edited by William of Walworth
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purlpower Newbie

purlpower

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Orgiva is really close by, it takes about 10mins to drive from the centre of Orgiva to the site. I don't think there will be any public transport but there will be loads of people driving and hitching would be fairly easy (and reasonably safe).

If you had to walk it, it wouldn't be too hard provided you are reasonably fit.

When I know the dates for certain I'll post them up in this thread.

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mushroom Newbie

mushroom

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Hiya, I was at the Dragon Festival last year (in fact I'm in the first photo of Purlpower's). It was very good and thinking about doing it again this year. Most of the festival is dominated by techno and drum n bass systems, not surprising really when you consider that European free festivals nowadays are generally teknivals. I think it'd be great this year for them to expand the green field a bit and to have some more rhythmic dance systems turn up, I find it hard to dance to gabba (but that's all down to circumstance I guess)

Does anybody know the cost of driving down to the dragon?

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green dragon Newbie

green dragon

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Check out some of last years footage at the Green Dragon Stage www.myspace.com/fiestadeldragonverde

We're always on the look out for bands, artists, performers and entertainers. If you're up for it let us know.

Again back by popular demand the Friday night Open Mic will be happening.

Be part of the festival - Don't spectate - participate - Bring what you expect to find.

There's not much drinking water on site, so try to bring your own.

And please remember people live on the site all year round, take your rubbish away!

see you in March

The Green Dragon

:ph34r:

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purlpower Newbie

purlpower

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I booked my tickets! The Hicksters will indeed be playing the Dragon Verde stage again this year.

I'm flying into Granada from East Midlands Airport - this is a new flight route from Ryan Air (got family in Derby so this works OK for me) and then back to Newcastle from Malaga, this is with Easyjet. In total that meant my flights cost about 75 quid including taxes, not bad eh?

Please heed The Green Dragon's requests and bring your supplies of water, food etc to the festival and leave nothing behind that you shouldn't. And if you see me hobbling around the green fields please come up and say 'hello'.

Now I have to go and piss my boss off by booking more time off work!

PS. The green dragon now has its own myspace page and the main festival also has a new webpage up, check 'em out:

http://www.myspace.com/fiestadeldragonverde

http://www.dragon-festival.com/index.php

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William of Walworth Newbie

William of Walworth

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Yeah, we're going to Granada. I don't know how much the flights were (Mr Flower took care of it), but flights plus car hire worked out at £91 each, for the two of us (less once we've convinced a couple more mates to come too and share the car!!)

Would be cool to meet up - and it sounds like it's small enough that it shouldn't be too difficult!

Edited by William of Walworth
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