Dragi Bravo Debuts at Usce: Ruslana Opens 'Wonderland'

The Dragi Bravo festival is changing address this year and, for the first time, will be held at Belgrade’s Usce on August 21 and 22 under a “Wonderland” theme. Organizers confirmed the news, and the first big announcement is the name opening the show: Ukrainian singer Ruslana.

What was only a teaser until yesterday is now official. Alongside Ruslana, the rest of the lineup has been announced, so audiences no longer have to guess who will take the stage across the two nights on the riverbank. Organizers promise an edition that, they say, breaks with everything they have staged so far in terms of set design.

Ruslana is no random choice to open the festival. Her “Wild Dances” won Eurovision for Ukraine in 2004, and a performance built on drums, capes and crowd-lifting energy has been her signature for decades. That is exactly the kind of opening organizers wanted for a theme that leans into a fairy-tale world.

Why is the move to Usce a big deal for the festival?

The change of venue is no small thing. In recent years, Usce has become Belgrade’s main stage for large music events, with room for a serious crowd and a stage that can carry heavy production. For Dragi Bravo, that means a step up: more space, more light and more room for the “Wonderland” set.

For visitors, the move brings practical upsides too. Usce is easier to reach, has a wider plateau and is used to hosting festival crowds. The mix of a familiar location and a theme that invites imagination looks like a formula that could fill both nights.

The “Wonderland” theme is more than a name. Organizers say the visual identity, decor and lighting program will follow that story, so the festival is expected to look different from previous years. Promo images, with a heart-shaped stage and fireworks over the crowd, already hint at the direction.

What we know about the program

The two nights, August 21 and 22, carry two different schedules. Ruslana is announced as the opening name, and organizers have published the rest of the roster alongside her, so audiences now know what awaits them on both sides of the weekend.

Details on timing, entry and ticket prices are being rolled out gradually, in line with how big summer festivals reveal their programs in waves. What is certain is that it all happens at Usce, at the end of August, right when summer is winding down and events like these traditionally draw the biggest turnout.

For a scene that has increasingly leaned on the festival format over the last few seasons, Dragi Bravo at Usce could be one of August’s louder headlines. A name like Ruslana gives the event international weight, while the “Wonderland” theme leaves room for the kind of spectacle audiences love to film and share.

That leaves it down to taste and scheduling. Will you head to Usce this August to open “Wonderland” with Ruslana, or wait to see the full schedule before buying a ticket?