2017, the year that will mark the celebration of the Summer of Love which exists for fifty years. It all started with a group of writers and a collection of literature works known as “The Beats”. This generation wrote about their dissatisfaction with the society and rebelled against its norms during the 1950s. Many of those writers, like Gary Snyder and William Burroughs, were associated with San Francisco, as they lived, travelled or published their works
there.
The beliefs of The Beat generation influenced the lifestyle of the hippies in the sixties. They possess a carefree and non-conformist lifestyle and lived together sharing their belongings and responsibilities. The most known commune was Haight-Ashbury a district of San Francisco where the clock Is still frozen at twenty past four.
Back in the sixties the hippies, also called flower children, were suspicious of the government, rejected conformist and materialist values of modern life and opposed the Vietnam War. The emphasis was on sharing and community. That is why the Diggers, a radical community-action group of activists within the district, established a Free Store and a Free Clinic where medical treatment was provided.
The Summer of Love began with the celebration of Human Be-In at Golden Gate Park in 1967 which was organised and produced by Michael Bowen. The event was a rally against the newly law of California banning the use of the drug LSD that came into effect in 1966. This event led to the mass movement of young people through America to descend to Haight-Ashbury. After they became inspired by Scott Mckenzie who sang “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear flowers in your hair… if you’re going to San Francisco, summertime will be a love-in there.’’
Influence present San Francisco
At present, the influence of the hippy culture can still be found in the music of nowadays. In the 1960s the San Francisco bands changed the music by being able to sing successfully about whatever issues or topics they wanted. In the past, artists only received attention when they sang about major issues. The city of San Francisco was also shaped by the hippy culture and in special the area, Haight Ashbury. The area is surrounded by colourful Victorian homes that have been turned into restaurants and boutiques. The hippie lifestyle is still present in Haight Ashbury, as well as the Beat Museum which presents the origin of the movement. Other main attractions include the Red Victorian hotel and the Haight-Ashbury street fair which is held on the second Sunday of June.
San Francisco plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love by hosting numerous events and art exhibitions. Click here to see an oversight of the events and exhibitions that take place this year.