It just so happens that I am writing about another place where I witnessed a festival being born and taking root. Last time it was about Beglika Fest, my article about it - here:
@manoldonchev/beglika-the-name-of-the-dam-the-area-the-festival
This time it is about Etropole, Western Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria. There is a stress on the last letter, so it should be pronounced Eh-Tro-Po-Leh.
An ordinary place. A small town like many other in Bulgaria. In the feet of the mountain, this is not unusual. A mountain pass goes from there to Zlatitsa south of the mountain range. Still quite casual. Population of about twelve thousand people. Average.
I am not going to shock you with the news of something unusual about the place. I want to make a tribute to those young people who just defy the trend in their way and refuse to let the place be totally insignificant to strangers.
So a youth festival was born a couple of years ago, quite spontaneously, and so far it happens annually. It is called 'I Can' Fest and it pretty much sums it up with that - I can have fun, too. I can do something interesting. I can gather people here and let their energy liven up the area if just for a couple of days.
Thus, up on a hill above the town, between a small chapel and an old socialist regime monument of military prowess a place for a few tents and a stage was found. Some bands were invited - some already known to young audience and well respected, some new and coming to take their chance at being appreciated.
If you take a closer look at the last photos of the series that follows, you will see traditional motifs on the clothes of that otherwise Death Metal band. They are an interesting mixture of some 'wire' and folklore.
The program before that was quite busy for just one day of late summer when you have to spend a few hours hiding in the shades, too. Would you go hiking in the direction of a monastery nearby? Would you play sports on the grass? Would you be more childish and fight with water guns? Would you go dancing? Would you try to do it all?
Well, I still feel a reporter, a photo journalist, wherever I go. So I would rather try and go for a variety of things, for as many experiences as it was possible to... not have but observe.
Alright, of course I also had some. I did jump after a feather or two, I did lose a trail or two in the woods, I did wet somebody else's pants... I only watched the Swing practice session for newbies.
And we all stayed around the stage for long hours after dark. Some of the people stayed longer. I must admit, I am a bit old...ish, meaning I get tired of it before it is over.
But I hold my thumbs up for those who don't.
Actually, I know there are quite a few open air music festivals across Bulgaria during the warm seasons. Actually there is something almost every weekend, and often more than one.
Have you read 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury? It seems photos are my dandelion wine - my way of preserving summer memories.
