Summer is upon us. Summer of Love is also celebrating its 50th anniversary. And no better place to spend the Summer of Love than in San Francisco.
Mijo and I decided to check it out and relive the magic of The Summer of Love 50 years ago. We enjoyed the good food, great music and awesome light show at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
It was the summer solstice and there was an event at the Conservatory of Flowers that evening complete with food trucks. So Mijo and I decided to get something to eat there with the plan to check out that event at the Conservatory of Flowers. We clearly didn't understand the magnitude of this event. I am talking about the Summer of Love celebration taking place that evening.
We got there and we were suddenly faced with the realization that we clearly misunderstood and absolutely under estimated this event. Thousands of people were already there complete with chairs, picnic mats, second layer of clothing, food and drinks, etc. We brought just ourselves.
After an hour of waiting in line for food, we finally got our dinner without the Mediterranean rice that goes with a Shawarma plate. But that ok because the food was still great and tasty.
We walked around and we couldn't believe the number of people who were in the attendance that evening. The city closed parts of the Golden Gate Park to motorists. There was a stage playing 60's music. I overheard someone saying 'not just 60s music, San Francisco 60's music'. I see his point. There is actually a difference. The music of Janis Joplin should give you a clue.
Lots of people as far as my eyes could see on John F. Kennedy Drive and to the Conservatory of Flowers. The music was great. I especially liked Scott McKenzie's "When you go to San Francisco. Be sure to wear flowers in your hair". Lots of people wearing tie-dye shirts, and yes, flowers on their hair.
I don't know anyone who went to the Summer of Love. I only read about the Summer of Love that took place here in the city 50 years ago. I can imagine the crowd back then and I wonder where they are now? I wonder if many of them were at that event the other day?
After dark, the music stopped and the countdown began to turn on the light art installation by Illuminate the Arts, the nonprofit arts group behind the famed Bay Lights, and Obscura Digital. They used the Conservatory of Flowers building as a canvas for the different colorful and beautiful illuminations.
This hot pink was just so dramatic.
According to the Conservatory of Flowers website, there will be a nightly illuminations. The Conservatory of Flowers will be illuminated at dusk, and continue to run every 30 minutes starting at the top of each hour and 30 minute mark. From June 21 through October 21, 2017 nightly – Sundown to Midnight. FREE.
Thank you Summer of Love, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, Bay Lights and Digital Obscura for this fulfilled event.
~rl
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