CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUMMER OF LOVE IN SAN FRANCISCO

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The Summer of Love was a social phenomenon that occurred during the summer of 1967, when as many as 100,000 people, mostly young people sporting hippie fashions of dress and behavior, converged in San Francisco’s neighborhood Haight-Ashbury. Here is how you can celebrate The Summer of Love 50th Anniversary in San Francisco.

In place of hippies subsisting on acid and food handouts there are hipsters with bowls of organic acai and yoga studio subscriptions. In place of Timothy Leary’s “turn on, tune in, drop out” the modern mantra is click, swipe, update.

It is, of course, no surprise that the city has changed in half a century. But the summer of love cast a mystique that enchanted San Francisco, baby boomers and succeeding generations around the world – a swirl of art, politics, music and revolt that others have never managed to fully replicate. No wonder San Francisco clings to 1967.

Here is what to do in the Summer of 2017.

Understand the Hippie Movement

The Summer of Love 50th anniversary is the perfect time to view “Hippie Modernism: The Struggle for Utopia,” an exhibit at the Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive. During its run from February 8 to May 21, the exhibit will focus on the art, design and architecture of the hippie counterculture. Loosely organized around Timothy Leary’s famous mantra, “Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out,” the exhibition charts the evolution of the movement, from pharmacological, technological, and spiritual means to expand consciousness and alter one’s perception of reality. http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/

Rock Out at the Jewish Music Festival

Are you interested in learning about Jewish culture and history through live music? Then the Jewish Music Festival in March should be one of your stops in San Francisco when you visit for the Summer of Love 50th anniversary! http://www.jcceastbay.org/jewish-music-festival/

Admire Artwork

From April 15 to August 20, the de Young Museum will be showing off rock posters, light shows, music and pictures from great musicians from the Summer of Love. The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane are just a few examples of the bands depicted at this museum. https://deyoung.famsf.org/exhibitions/summer-love

Flip Through Photos From the Summer of Love

Some of the best things to do during the 50th anniversary involve looking at pictures from 1967. You can do this at the California Historical Society from May 11 to September 8 with an exhibit called “Summer of Love: A Photographic Journey.”

Get a Feel for Local Talent

San Francisco artists and musicians alike show off their skills every year at the Haight Ashbury Street Fair, where you can listen to live music, check out artwork and shop for clothes and housewares from local vendors. This fair takes place the second weekend in June. http://www.haightashburystreetfair.org/

Appreciate Art

Any time from June 16 to October 1, you can head to the Asian Art Museum to see the “Flower Power” exhibit in person. It’s here that you’ll witness brightly colored artistic representations of what it was like to be involved in the Summer of Love.http://www.asianart.org/

Enjoy the San Francisco Jazz Festival

This festival is hosted in the Miner Auditorium of the SFJAZZ Center and features one to two live jazz bands per day from June 7 to 19. So if you’re into jazz music, be sure to attend at least one day of this festival during the Summer of Love 50th anniversary. https://www.sfjazz.org/events/festival/2016

Relive the Music of the Summer of Love

During the 50th anniversary, the Monterey International Pop Festival will be held on the same dates as it was in the Summer of Love: June 16 to 18. It will even be hosted on the same stage, which is the John Phillips Memorial Main Stage at the Monterey County Fair Grounds. So make plans to come watch about a dozen bands on Saturday and another dozen on Sunday, with most being tribute bands playing songs of the 60s. http://www.summer67.com/

Celebrate the Solstice

Summer solstice is worth celebrating, since it’s when the sun gets to its highest point in the sky, resulting in a longer period of sunlight than usual. You can rejoice over the summer solstice by participating in artistic activities involving light on June 20 and 21. http://illuminatesf.com/

Watch Free Concerts

If you want to enjoy amazing performances for free every Sunday from June 25 to August 27, Stern Grove Festival is for you. This outdoor concert series takes place in Sigmund Stern Grove and is meant to make it easy and affordable for San Francisco residents to witness the beauty of live music in-person. http://www.sterngrove.org/

Head North to the Fair

The Marin County Fair has been the place to go for rides and live music for over 75 years. In 2017, it will take place from June 28 to July 3, at which point you can finish off each day of carnival rides and contests with a great view of the fair’s fireworks and live bands onstage each night. http://www.marinfair.org/2016

Remember Jerry Garcia

What better way to celebrate the Summer of Love than with a day dedicated to Jerry Garcia? Held on August 6 at McLaren Park – at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, of course – the 15th Annual Jerry Day will allow you to listen to live music from bands that do great justice to Jerry’s songs. His relatives are usually at this event to greet his many fans, and people who have attended in years past claim that Jerry Day offers a good idea of what Grateful Dead concerts felt like during the Summer of Love! http://www.jerryday.org/

Stay Outdoors for the Weekend

The Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival features constant live music, food, beer, wine and more. There are even comedy performances, mini golf, arcade games and dancing, keeping you busy all weekend long. This popular festival goes from August 11 to 13 and is located outdoors at Golden Gate Park. http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/

Spend a Night at the Symphony

The San Francisco Symphony’s 105th Season Opening Night Gala is scheduled for September 7, so get ready to listen to performances from some celebrated musicians. The excitement in the atmosphere of the gala tends to be infectious! http://www.sfsymphony.org/index.aspx

NOTE: We would like to thank for the support of our attendance to IPW 2017  to the US Embassy in Bucharest, US Commercial Service.