Oregon Country Fair

By: © Nelson Taylor 2008

Festival Location: Veneta, OR, USA

Festival State: Oregon Festivals

Festival Type(s): Fairs, Folk Festivals

What have all the Deadheads been doing since Jerry died? One thing is for sure, a lot of them are at the Oregon Country Fair every year, which has occurred every second weekend in July since the Summer of Love, 1969. Come hang with 45,000 hippies, yippies, yuppies, drippies, puppies and about everyone and everything in between and beyond at this wonderful woodsy event which takes 3,000 or so volunteers all year to plan.

When you pass the 7-foot kaleidoscope at the entrance, ask about the public art booth, where you can choose from an assortment of costumes or masks that will help you blend into the myriad of on-going parades and pageants. Wander between five bandstands, four vaudeville stages, 250 craft booths, and 60 food booths. In the Community Village you might witness educational demonstrations, political rants and environmental pleas. Or hit Energy Park where you'll learn how to use the earth's natural energy sources in creative ways.

This colorful gathering has succeeded in preserving the counter-culture balance between freedom and commitment. But leave your happy smoke and silly paper at home. The local District Attorney has come down hard on the drug trafficking that generally occurs. And as Oregon's drug forfeiture law states, the government has the power to seize property and bank accounts before a court hearing. So tune in and drop by, but leave the turning on behind.