The Flower-power festivities, inspired by the hippy movement of the 1960s and 1970s, have become the highlight of the celebration of the important holidays of most of the towns on the island of Ibiza.
Saturday 12th January 2019. A few days away from the big day in the town of Sant Antoni de Portmany, with the sea as a backdrop, and the most beautiful sunset in the Mediterranean imprinted on the retina of residents and tourists, the town is filled with wigs, giant sunglasses, psychedelic decoration and the words ‘Peace’ and ‘Love’. No, the residents of this municipality have not gone mad, they have just let their hair down with their ‘Flower-power’ festival, which, inspired by the hippy movement of the 60s and 70s, turns one of the world’s most famous bays into the epicentre of the island every year.
The island of Ibiza was known worldwide in the mid-twentieth century as a place that welcomed hippies from all over the world, attracting people from Europe, the United States or India and, of course, from various parts of our own country, who were seeking the spirit of simplicity, freedom and brotherhood, which today is remembered in these ‘Flower-power’ festivals, which have become the main attraction of the patron saint fiestas of most of the island’s towns.
Immerse yourself in the spirit of an era that many Ibizans and foreigners look back on with nostalgia in any of the opportunities offered by Ibiza’s extensive calendar of festivals, such as Sant Josep de Sa Talaia, whose big day is the 19th of March, during which the town becomes a multicoloured tapestry; or Sant Joan de Labritja, which celebrates its fiesta on 24th June and on the eve of which the spirit of 70’s takes over the central square. In addition, those of you who are more daring can experience the spirit of this festival by hopping over to our neighbouring island, Formentera, where its largest Flower-power festival is celebrated in the central square of the town of Sant Francesc in July.
And these are just a few examples of popular festivals where you can relive the authentic hippy Ibiza, an opportunity that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime to transport yourself, in body and spirit, to a not-so-distant past that helped to build the Ibiza we all enjoy today.