Flower Power Descends On Destino

Words: Al Krastev
Images: Julian Farina & Tatiana Chausovksy

The most iconic of hippy parties anywhere in the world, Flower Power, was condensed into a spectacular open-air celebration of Ibiza’s own local holiday on Saturday. Calling upon hundreds of fun-loving party people of all ages and nationalities, Destino packed a fiesta refined to the final touch with the best of 60’s to 80’s charts and rock’n’roll music, offering a fantastic setting and decorations, and truly original production. Ibiza originally became famous as a safe haven for all pacifists, open-minded nomads and freedom and love enthusiasts. That very hippy spirit of openness has us all falling in love with the island again and again, but there are just a few events that still carry the original sparkle, and, with over four decades under its belt already, naturally Flower Power was the fiesta to light it in all of us.

Throughout the day those true to the Ibiza spirit can be recognized from afar. Flowy dresses, flower headbands, peace signs and hearts drawn with body paint, John Lennon-style glasses and just about anything associated with the hippy movement is worn by the largely diverse party-goers across the magic isle. The mood is set further, not only by the decorations across Ibiza Town, but above all the stunning set-up at Destino itself. The five star Pacha resort is already a unique venue with a pristine swimming pool in between beautiful palm trees, surrounded by bars, a lounge, the large wooden stage and luxurious restaurant, all overlooking Talamanca, the harbor and the monumental castle of Dalt Vila. But our hosts have gone above and beyond, splashing everywhere with bright colors, large peace, love and weed signs, as well as multiple full-size Beatles cut-outs, among oversized Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley memorabilia; not to mention its own hippy market carrying an exquisite selection of about twenty stalls.

But it is not about what is on the outside. Right from the start, we are taken several decades back thanks to a carefully chosen variety of 60’s and 70’s classics that everyone is bound to know and love. Truly so, a continuously thickening crowd seemingly spanning ages from teens to over seventy shows off mastery of the twist. Then, rocking and rolling to legends like Elvis Presley, we seem to be the ones to know it all before moving on to more recent incarnations of the genre. The stage itself keeps the eyes of dance circles across Destino fixed on it with Grease-style dancers going at it full on, complemented by two more in colorful cages by the pool. We all sing together All You Need Is Love with the words written in big hearts dancing in the hands of fans onstage.

The strong sunset winds can barely cool us down as no funky move is spared. As darkness sets in, the lights reach full potential, too, with the large discoball onstage illuminating the cloth ceilings, walls and hotel guests balconies in starry patterns. Flower Power’s own incense-infused procession of girls in saris and a reimagining of a deep blue Indian goddess carried in a carriage makes a tour of the dancefloor, drawing a following of its own. The atmosphere all around is as positive as it can be with smiles and kisses giving way to an improvised mass chain of dancing in a line one after another. Following La Bamba and Amy Winehouse’s Valerie, a Bob Marley impersonator onstage leads us all into jamming across the pink carpet that has become a rain of heart-shaped confetti.

Some old-school rock’n’roll is succeeded by a carefully picked turn to the contemporary with Duffy’s Mercy and Pharell Williams’s Happy before we all break into couples instinctively to waltz to John Lennon’s Imagine. The tempo is picked up again with the mass stomping to We Will Rock You, but the Queen streak leads into the most spectacular part of the show. Simultaneously, the dancefloor is glowing with all of us holding up sparkling fire sticks, while high above the pool a flyboarder in a suit of mirror pieces displays stunning tricks with a large heart in one hand. Shortly after, multiple big yellow submarine cut-outs swim through the crowd as it is singing at the top of its lungs the iconic Beatles song, while surrounded from everywhere by floating soap bubbles. When we all sing Born To Be Wild, Ibiza proves it means it, bringing in a parade of roaring Harley Davidson’s with typical tattooed rockers riding up front and blonde punk ladies in the back. As we move to the loungers at the far end to enjoy the splendid fireworks show above the port of Ibiza after the last song at midnight, we are all overwhelmed with joy. The magic is forever as we have witnessed how all generations can be relentlessly exalted and united in the hippiest place of the 21st century.