AUTHOR’S NOTE: While this experience took place in Ionia, Michigan, Hippie Fest is a festival that takes place in various cities and states all over the country. The elements of the festival experience seen below will likely reflect all of the other Hippie Fest events.
****
During the 50th anniversary of Woodstock…
…I attended a festival where people could lay in floral peace signs…
…drum in a circle…
…have fun with bubbles…
…and just be themselves.
Welcome to Hippie Fest…
…a huge celebration…
…where festival fans got up close with vintage vehicles…
…posed with girls on stilts…
…made their T-shirts a little more groovy…
…bettered their hula hoop skills…
…and grabbed a spot on the lawn…
…to enjoy some great live entertainment (Rollin’ Zen)…
…from two main music stages…
…a few mini stages set up around the grounds…
…and a performance area with belly dancers and snakes (Steel Lotus Dance Troupe).
For those who preferred to move around…
…there was a large vendor area…
…with everything a hippie fan could possibly enjoy…
…including a variety of incense (Holy Smoke Incense)…
…beautiful jewelry and gifts (Great Lakes Goddess)…
…farm fresh lavender products (Northern Lavender)…
…singing bowls, wooden masks (Sanu’s Nepali Bazaar)…
…cannabis products (The Pure Dream)…
…and plenty of tie dye (Funky Sunshine).
And still there was more, with handmade soy candles…
…homemade bread…
…hair wraps…
…more tie dye…
…health therapies…
…psychic consultation galore…
…art, henna…
…festival merchandise…
…and still even more tie dye.
Finally, when it was time to eat, the festival offered a large food truck area…
…with options that included BBQ (Holy Smokers BBQ/Pork N Stein)…
…burritos (Sleeping Bear Burritos)…
…pizza (Pizza Parliament)…
…and some really popular funnel cakes.
And while adults could head to the Tiki Bar to wash down food…
…with a cold beer or specialty cocktail…
…even more visitors opted for a refreshing shaved ice (Kona Ice)…
…or some delicious soft serve (Kool Breeze)…
…before heading back out into the world.