The Port Gamble Country Faire?

[arontius]

.....If you have never experienced the Oregon Country Fair (located outside of Eugene, usually in July), you've really missed out on a unique experience. It is one of those cultural events where earth and nature and sustainability are stressed. There is a LOT of music and hippiness (as well as partying and other wild stuff). Lots of liberal political stuff. Back in the mid-'80's when I attended, it was full of New Age stuff as well. Back then the SCA (Adiantium) even had a presence there, although I don't think that they still attend. It was always a lot of fun.

.....It has really grown up since those days, and they even want to branch out. It seems that a group of regular attendees wants to start a fair akin to the Oregon Country Fair in Port Gamble of all places. One of the organizers called me this evening to ask about how we set up and run June Faire in Port Gamble. They asked lots and lots of questions of how we set ourselves up, how we organized volunteers, how we organized cars, etc. I gave them as many details as I could. It was an indication of things to come when, while I was describing our regular headaches with Waste Management and their dumpsters, that she informed me that the Oregon Country Fair has experienced a regular 80% to 85% recycling rate over the past couple of years and that their dumpster use is minimal. If she can make that work over here, then hey, I'll take a lesson from her in a heart-beat. She said that she would be happy to work with us. :-)

.....Port Gamble expressed an interest in having this group run the fair in Port Gamble. What struck me as interesting to note is that the town is turning this group on to using the town proper and the mill site for parking, when they have been grooming us for using a newly cleared area outside of town for June Faire. The thought being that the Washington Ferry System was on the verge of taking over the mill site for the new Hood Canal Ferry. I wonder what has changed recently. Or if things are still so new and tentative that the whole picture hasn't developed yet on both sides.

.....No matter what happens, it's going to be an interesting year. Hey, go and visit the Oregon Country Fair web-site, http://www.oregoncountryfair.org/entertainment.php . In some ways it has REALLY changed from what it was back in the '80's. But in others, it is still the weirdly strange experience it has always been.

.....Fearga, ever been there? In what costume did you attend? :-)

.....Aaron / Arontius.