Oregon Country Fair July 9-11, 2010

Olivia Delacruz, Bucky and Doug Abrams at Front Porch Friday Afternoon

What most struck me about the fair, other than the occassional peacock feather and parade of painted bosoms, was the kindness of this community that gathers under the embrace of the forest. I was camped with the Spoken Word family and would wake up every morning to the sounds of children and music playing in our shadey living room. I'd get up early even though I'd stay up until 5am every night, and I'd practice yoga and jam with my new family over coffee. Then I'd set out with my guitar over my shoulder to wander the paths and play the gigs that Doug had arranged for me at Front Porch, Spirit Tower, Energy Park and, most exciting of all, at Main Stage for Saturday's midnight show. (I will be getting a sweet video of the performance soon!)

Throughout the fair were hand-made and US-made crafts of all sorts - leatherwork, carnival masks, organic clothes, pottery, musical furniture, geez anything you could imagine - and the food here was off the hook! But to be honest I couldn't eat as much as would have liked because it was so incredibly hot and I was running mostly on the positive energy of this place. There are a ton of hippies here, but also a lot of families, kids and young adults. The performances ranged from bluegrass to hip hop, reggae to gypsy music, circus to spoken word, and many folks busk on the side of the paths that wind through the fair. Every evening at 7pm the fair closes and a marching band sweeps through, but the volunteers, performers, and crafters stay on to party until the early morning.

Each night around 1pm I would make my way to the Ritz, a beautiful open air sauna where everyone is naked and some band plays in front of a large fire pit. In the actual sauna people sing together anything from old hymnals, to the Beatles, to favorite hippy singalongs. Going to this place every night is probably what allowed me to function on so little sleep! I am in withdrawal I must say, I loved the fair and the people there way more than I had expected and am excited to go back next year and the next and the next!

For those who donated at the Energy Park Show:

Thank you! I forwarded your generosity to

the brave Burmese journalistic efforts of

the Democatic Voice of Burma:

www.dvb.no

www.burmavjmovie.com