I have been going for 6 consecutive years and it has changed my life completely. Still my favorite psy festival by far and I have been to a few.
While it is true that many of the psychedelic festivals (especially in Northern Germany) have become really negative in terms of vibe and crowd, at Ozora you can still make some of the most meaningful connections anywhere. Real people.
Compare it to what I see and hear of - say - Tomorrowland, and you really get a drift of which festivals are created by the same gangs behind the influential mainstream forces (sponsors are always a good hint), and which festivals still do their best to hold true to compassion, exploration of the mind and mutual respect. (Last I heard, the ticket price for Tomorrowland is 600 € vs. 175 € for Ozora).
If you live in Europe and it calls you - even if you have to travel a thousand miles - do it. It's really worth it. One day it may go down as well because it has become bigger, maybe bigger than it should be for its aim.
Because of that I can recommend going in 2018 especially. Why? Because it's a Boom year, and the scene will split into East and West, some going to Portugal, the others going to Ozora, Hungary.
We were possibly 40K people last year (a no-Boom year) so this year will be less crowded and therefore more familiar and intimate.
Oh here I go again.^^
I will write extensively about my Ozora experiences on my channel, but have already included lots of impressions on my IntroduceYourself Post, if you want to dive in a little further at this time.
As for substances - that decision is up to any single visitor, nobody else.
If one is out looking to get messed up and narrow their awareness I would hope they go some place else, like the bar around the corner, or a large football game. If on the other hand one is interested in expanding consciousness with shamanic tools and learning about themselves, Ozora is a great place for it.
I have met many people there who do not use any kinds of substances at all, some meditate, others just dance themselves into trance. But the scene is getting bigger overall and the kids coming onto the scene need some good role models, like anywhere else in society.
If you make it out to Hungary, let me know, and we'll go explore. I always love to make connections with people on the floor because those connections tend to last, and I speak from experience. No matter the distance in countries of origin or differences in worldview.
Much love