San Rafael, CA – In a groovy tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, the Marin County Fair will have a far-out theme next summer: Let the Funshine In!
The 2017 Marin County Fair poster.
The fair, scheduled for June 30 to July 4, 2017, at the Marin County Fairgrounds in San Rafael, will emphasize Marin’s dedication to some of the things we value most in our community: family, art, agriculture and the environment.
In June 1967, the Summer of Love kicked off in Marin with a two-day concert on Mount Tamalpais called the Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival. One of the first multi-act outdoor rock festivals in American history, the event featured the Doors, the Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Captain Beefheart, Canned Heat and the 5th Dimension (which sang the chorus “Let the Sunshine In!” on the hit song “Aquarius”). After the concert attracted nearly 36,000 fans to Mt. Tam, about 100,000 young people drifted into San Francisco and converged on the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, turning the Bay Area into the epicenter of a cultural phenomenon known as the Summer of Love. During that transformative time, music, fashion, art and new ideas flourished, and there was a feeling that everything was possible.
This summer’s Marin County Fair will celebrate that 1967 spirit with music, art, fashion and more featuring tie-dye and macramé competitions, Flower Power horticulture, psychedelic and abstract art and photography, and daily ‘60s fashion parades. Visitors will be able to stroll through zen gardens, pop art competitions, Antenna Theater’s Magic Bus multimedia adventure, and a special exhibition of photos and objects from the 1967 Fantasy Fair and Magic Music Festival on Mt. Tam.
As always, the fair will have traditional carnival rides, free concerts and fireworks every night over the Civic Center’s Lagoon Park.
“Marin County is, and continues to be, a nexus of creativity and innovation,” said Director of Cultural Services Gabriella C. Calicchio. “Our fair draws together, celebrates and inspires creativity and imagination across the county, regardless of socioeconomic and cultural differences. Join us, tune in, turn on and Let the Funshine In!”
As always, the Marin County Fair prides itself on being the Greenest County Fair on Earth with its solar-powered carousel and stage, commitment to water conservation and a record of 94 percent waste diversion to compost and recycling. The fair’s top-billed music acts will be announced in spring 2017.
Learn more at www.marinfair.org.