The mission statement is simply lovely.

This was a deeply felt homecoming for me. I have identified with the Vietnam-era counterculture from my high school social misfit days on. My deeply-held values were formed in the fertile cauldron of post-hippie culture; even starting Positive Energy was an act of countercultural right livelihood: making an honest living outside of the mainstream consumption economy and fossil-fueled energy paradigm as best I could. But to suddenly be immersed in a three-day celebration of the creative, the mirthful, the transformational, the deeply radical…, was enough to bring me to tears more than once. This is an annual tradition, well understood as a cultural Gathering of the Tribes, strong enough to keep on doing the work for another year.

Just a few numbers for perspective: 450 acres of woods, with longtime traditional booths, paths, campsites, and permanent infrastructure to handle over 50,000 attendees over the three days. Eighteen thousand volunteers to set up, take down, handle those multitudes with kindness and efficiency.The public comes in from around 11 am to 8 pm each day, and it’s quite commercial — for some of the craftspeople this is much of their annual income, so that the Fair supports many artisans without Day Jobs. But the real experience is after the day closes to the public, and it becomes a huge nightly cultural celebration, with music on multiple stages and dancing, bluegrass jams and old-time pickin’, a communal sauna, and a peaceful, joyous ambience.

It felt to me as though for three days 18,000 people came together to model the peaceful world we dream might one day be possible in the default world of the rest of the year.

The Green Man, an ancient archetype. I have been the Green Man in my mens’ initiation work, but with far less sophisticated attire.

A dozen or so Hindu dieties…

Patch Adams, the legendary clown doctor, who has been upending the medical system for 44 years through his Gesundheit Institute. Patch doesn’t take insurance. He also doesn’t charge fees.

Many stilt walkers…

…including the elders, who sometimes must rely on walkers.

Many people arrive in costume, from elaborate to simply “beautiful elfen maiden”.

I was there on the invitation of Ian and Michael of Home Power magazine, in their booth that has been their Fair home for about twenty years. I traded booth shifts with Ian and with Eric Youngren, who has developed tiny PV systems for developing world applications – I had met with Eric on Orcas Island during last year’s bicycle travels.

Ian Woofenden is one of two Senior Editors of Home Power.

One of my richest and most unexpected experiences started whimsically — as I was heading out to find breakfast I encountered a woman standing with a “FREE HUGS” sign. I naturally gave and received a wonderful, warm hug, then immediately began wondering what it must be like from her perspective. We talked for awhile, about hug types, about those who’ll willingly hug a stranger and those who pass by avoiding the contact, about hugs-per-day at the Fair (500+) versus ore typical days and events (half of that number).

Later I ran into Diede again (I had hoped that I would, but with 30,000 people I hadn’t expected to) and this time borrowed her sign, walking with her on one of the main paths, being the offeror of free hugs myself. It was a most wonderful experience, so fully joy-filled. So many people, young and old, men and women, just embraced me and left us both with joy. I was careful to sense how each person made their embrace and respond in kind, so that each person felt enriched and not invaded. I also found myself thanking each person who accepted my free hug offer, having received from each as much as I gave.

Upon my next time at the Fair I will do this myself.

All types of music, from buskers along the paths…

… to some great rock’n’roll. All of this is completely off grid, powered by the Oregon sun.