Fairing Well

Fifty years ago, Sesame Street debuted its first episode and the original Star Trek aired its last. Fifty years ago Woodstock happened and the first person walked on the moon.

And if you live in Lane County, then you need to know that for the past 50 years there’s been a party out near Veneta that defeats any stereotype you’ve even heard about hippies not having their act together.

The Oregon Country Fair is one together act.

Once you wander through the often-dusty gates of the Fair, you’ll encounter more than 300 artisans selling their crafts and at least 80 food booths. You’ll see security, childcare and medical care. There will be hula hoopers and Native dancers and giant puppets.

And maybe you’ll see some more or less naked people, definitely some people covered in body paint and glitter, people on stilts and plenty of just ordinary people.

Quirky, weird, fun or funny, it’s at the Fair.

For some, it’s the best weekend all year and full of late-night craziness, while for others it’s a patchouli traffic jam and probably, for the vast majority of us, it’s a cool thing we can check out from time to time.

Love it or be mad you don’t have a camping pass, but you have to respect the enthusiasm that has sustained half a century of whatever the heck the Oregon Country Fair is.