OCF 2025 Things I Found Along the Path

July 20, 2025 by

OCF 2025 Resources

I dedicate this post to my friend James Island, who came down with Covid pre-Fair and couldn’t display and sell them in Xavanadu! Check out his fine lamps!

For my more writerly review of OCF 2025 – click here. I also encourage you to join my email list and keep up with what I do during the year. And, if you’re an OCF Vendor – hop on this list for a couple of marketing emails during the year that might help you with OCF!

Here are links to things I found at this year’s Fair – stickers, lighters, biz cards, and more. Enjoy! And, support the arts! In no particular order… 

  1. A lighter and stickers from Drive to Space – I heard this jam band at the Kesey stage on Sunday. I believe they’re based in Eugene. So so good!  “The group fuses their energy into a cohesive, mind-meld of sound – complete with tempo and key changes, odd meters, tight jams, and well-written, complex material interspersed with improvisation.” – yep! 
  2. Cheri A. Ellis – Booth X63, Xavanadu. My good friend Marcia Wiley introduced me to Cheri, who was vending for the first time this year. On the way in, Cheri (who was vending solo!) twisted her ankle. Her work is lovely – she’s out of Seattle – I checked in on her daily. She seemed to be having a blast.
  3. Daphne Singingtree – Author, Educator, Water Protector, Land Defender.
  4. As I learned about the danger of woodsmoke I’m thinking out loud about how to electrify things like the Ritz. The Ritz goes through a lot of wood during the Fair, and that smoke permeates the event. In conversation, I learned about Peach Power, a group that is working to bring solar to the Fair. I hope to speak with them once I find out how, about the Ritz.
  5. Pew Pew Zap – Dorky Stuff for the modern adventurer!
  6. Oregon Warmline – 1-800-698-2392 – I think this is a line for people to call who need confidential help. Probably picked this up in Community Village. Sharon Bliss is the warmline manager – sharon.bliss@ccsemail.org
  7. Energy Trust of Oregon (talked to them about electrifying the Ritz & a bunch of other issues.
  8. Have Guitar Will Travel – Charly Price – 530-575-9480
  9. Robert Bolman, Artist. Wow! Here’s a piece of his.
  10. Cascadia Wildlands – We Like it Wild! ”

    We envision vast old-growth forests, rivers full of wild salmon, wolves howling in the backcountry, a stable climate, and vibrant communities sustained by the unique landscapes of the Cascadia Bioregion.

    Envision it with us. (ed. Great organization doing important work – and thanks for the Oreos you left out for passersby! Nom nom!)

  11. KLCC – One of the many radio stations that were representing all weekend. This is a Eugene-based station (I often catch it on the way into and out of Fair!). Speaking of community radio, my home station, KBOO – is playing the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival live right now – thank you!
  12. Seth Francis, Energy Engineer and Sustainability Consultant, ICR Engineering. More discussion about electrifying the Ritz. And E-bikes!
  13. Black Goat Provisions – by Works for Now Farm, Humboldt Co., California. Handmade Soaps, Natural Beauty Products, Sweets & Treats
  14. There was this fun booth (not sure if it was open during the day….) that had interesting dice or you could spin a dial, I think? My “Love poem with the apocalypse” ended up being: We began fated flame time discord!
  15. OCF Tent Tag 08057 – this if fun (if you’d like it, contact me!)  Ground score post Fair
  16. Jameeshka – A musical maelstrom of modest magnificence! Music – performance – curation – workshops – multimedia – Side 2 – Ishka Lha – lovely artwork – worth a visit!
  17. Releaf Foundation – my friend, Jeff Eichen, out of Port Townsend – Jeff does so much good work in the world – it’s hard to keep track. Pics from OCF 2025.
  18. I picked up some info from Oregonwalkbike.org about Oregon’s new law for people on bicycles – Stop as Yield – Keep in Motion, Go with Caution!
  19. Micah Ofstedahl, Altered realism, acrylic paintings. Neat Stuff!
  20. Kelsie Diana Hubik, Sound Therapist – NadaBrahma Sound Healing – this woman had an incredible collection of Tibetan Singing Bowls. She’s located in Menicino, CA. Kelsie did a residency with Rainer Michaells, PhD – in Sandpoint, ID – heavenofsound.com
  21. Got OCF Feedback? Click here or via this address: 442 Lawrence Street, Eugene, OR 97401
  22. Support Psychedelic Science – Maps.org – Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
  23. Nick Lorenz, SEM Coach, Production Efficiency – Energy 350 – longtime friend – knows solar! Working with Energy Trust of Oregon!
  24. Conscious Growth Convergence – October 2-5 @ Lost Valley Education Center, Dexter, Oregon (I heard great things about last year’s gathering from friends – who’s going?
  25. The Center for Rural Livelihoods – Regenerating Landscapes & Remaking Society (found this booth in Energy Park).  (used to be Aprovecha)
  26. Honorable mentions to all the great food booths I got to experience this year – Chez Ray’s! (salmon burger); Vegan Truck Stop; Phoenix Rising (yummy breakfast); Pieroagies at the top of the 8; and Salmon on a Stick folks – you were amazing! And so much more (most of my Fair $ goes to food and drink!) – oh yeah, Hemp House – a delicious hemp/strawberry shake!

Playing for the kids @ Wally’s Way stage – photo by Lloyd

Thanks for a great Fair!  Yeah!

 

 

 

 

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OCF 2025

July 17, 2025 by

Oregon Country Fair 2025 – a Review

Hey there, I’m back from another Oregon Country Fair (OCF). My head is still a little scrambled, and it’s been 3 days since my return from the fields and forests of Veneta, Oregon. This year was another hot one – daytime temps were in the high 80s, and then for the 3 days of the Fair, temps climbed into the 90s. This ends up having an effect on Fairgoers and those who volunteer for the Fair. Right before this year’s OCF a new documentary about the event came out. It’s about an hour long and does a great job of showing off various aspects of the Fair. Enjoy.

About those volunteers, there are thousands of them. That’s something notable about this event that’s different than anything I’ve attended before. The amount of people and people-hours that are poured into this event is quite incredible and makes for a giant family of people who work together to create Fair Magic. Most events have a ratio of volunteers (or paid staff) of about 10 or 20 attendees for every ticketed customer. In the OCF case, it’s much closer to 1 to 3 – a very low ratio (if you know the exact figure on this, please let me know). I volunteered as a musician this year, playing for kids at Sesame Street and Wally’s Way stages.

This episode brought to you by the inexpensive construction headphones I schlep everywhere to help me sleep during loud music and other noise at festivals like this one. And while I’m here, these headphones are part of a 11 life tips series that you can sign up for here. For some great background music while reading this – try out Fair TV – which is streaming the shows from the main stage as I type this – 7.17.25.

So, besides the great food, wonderful music, interesting spoken word, an incredible 1st annual Friday night burlesque show (go in 2026!), and interesting crafts, there are things that are not obvious. Oh yeah, the costumes, people on stilts, marching bands, cute kids, and all sorts of serendipity – there are a few things I want to talk about that are not obvious unless you’ve been coming a while.

Networking.

I am lucky to get to Fair a few days before the official event begins. This meant the Wednesday before Fair for me this year. This led to wandering the 8 and connecting with many craft vendors and other volunteers before the event opens. Some of these relationships have been going on for years. I see you booth L12, Wileyware! As someone who helps small businesses with email marketing, my conversations are sometimes about how to help the crafters market their wares – both at the Fair and beyond.

Wileyware

Wileyware

I got into a conversation with Skeeter Duke, who’s been coming to the Fair since close to the beginning. He talked to me about the intention of the Fair at the start was for people to come together and network. Figure out how to create a new society together. How to take the ideals that were being discussed in the late 60s and spread them through the community and work, and build together. I’m going to keep learning about this intention (there were newsletters back then, and many elders from the time still carry on this effort today). There’s so much to say about this. And I think this part of the Fair is a little obscured by the pageantry part.

 

For example, the Fair features 2 big areas devoted to organizations doing interesting environmental activist work that create all sorts of opportunities for education, but also networking. These are Energy Park and Community Village. I think most people and the booths themselves are missing a big opportunity that I hope to elevate here. We tend to approach the booths at Fairs as consumers – these people behind the table or wall have something to offer us. Maybe it’s a blintz or knish. Maybe it’s tie-dyed socks or a beautiful guitar or earrings. But maybe it’s wisdom. Maybe it’s an internship for someone you know. It goes deeper than that. Here’s an example.

While I was sitting in the Ritz** (an incredible collection of saunas and showers – one of the main reasons I go to the Fair, actually), which is also a great place for networking (or catching up with friends, or group singing in the sauna). Anyway, I look up and see the smokestack puffing smoke. The Ritz burns a lot of wood each year at the Fair, and that smoke is spewed into the air and breathed by fairgoers. I’d been thinking, as I’m learning about woodsmoke, how do we electrify the Ritz? The saunas could be running on electricity and sparring fairgoers (and the region) a little bit less woodsmoke in the air. I ended up in a long conversation by someone who’d been on the OCF board in the past and she mentioned Peach Power – an effort to bring more solar panels to Fair. Well, without that conversation I wouldn’t have been able to then have a different conversation with someone from Energy Trust in Energy Park about the same topic.

I work on a few livability issues. Getting Rid of Gas-powered leaf blowers; dark skies Oregon (esp. how to slow the spread of too bring LED lighting); Keeping Trees Standing; and reducing woodsmoke. Mostly, I’m focused on Portland, but everyone could benefit from the work I’m doing.  So, when I’m face to face with someone who is part of an NGO where these issues are related, I see the person on the other side of the table as an ally. This relationship is possible with anyone at any time – but at Fair, things are labeled better 🙂  ie, the booth dedicated to seed swapping in Energy Park is a great place to talk about saving the pollinators. Seeing my longtime kinda guru, Sharanam – we got into a conversation about setting up a show for him in Portland.

Then, there’s lots of sharing back. Letting people in on Fair secrets – or, what I like to call, showing people the door. Not everyone knows that there are a wide variety of ways to participate in the Fair. You can jury in and become a vendor; volunteer to be part of a crew; but it’s also possible to be an SO (significant other/guest of) an elder (that’s how I got my camping pass this year after many years with various booths and crews). This is something that I want to dedicate some time to in the future – figuring out how to get people to Fair who will have a life-changing experience there. People who might not even know the place exists, but who will benefit from being a part of the Fair Family (which is pretty much everyone).

Fair Information

You can get information about the Fair from the Info Booths located around the Fairgrounds (also known as the 8). But there are a ton of other ways – there are a slew of private and public Facebook groups, for instance. For instance, if you’re tired of my spiel and want more pictures, try out the OCF Unofficial group.

And the information is everywhere – from the banter of the performers (which contains many positive messages) to the Peach Pit, which is the printed guide to the Fair – there’s lots to learn about. There’s even a code of conduct! And general guidelines.

I will probably have more to say about the networking topic I started on above.  My learning about how that informed early Fairs, and my own current approach to networking in the small business world, seems to be pushing me into an area I’m not familiar with.  Going to places we’ve never been before!

The hot temps and dust at this year’s Fair were a reminder to me about how fragile our society is. We march our way through, but it’s challenging. I walked around the Fair most of the time with a wet towel on my head that I had to keep wetting. I’m 64, and I noticed aging for myself and others more than in previous fairs. I got lucky and had dinner with a couple of people who’d been to the very first fair and most of them since that time! 52? 53? I saw more alter-abled transport and more strollers this year than in years past.  Watching kids at the Fair is fun – and it’s also fun to see someone in their 80s oohing and ahhhing like they were kids.

I appreciate the deep connections many of you have with each other. I realized this year, more than in previous years, that those who live in Eugene or thereabouts seem a lot more connected than those of us who travel farther to reach the shores of the Long Tom. This year felt more “local” to me. But I also realize that repeat visits and my many loose ties with a wide variety of Fair people do ground me.

Ah, Fair. Thank you. Thank you for connecting me with many of my friends. Thanks for the chance to share time with people who knew my friends who have passed away – Ben Bochner and Amira. Thanks for the chance to gather in a very safe place and find magic. Fair is not perfect, but Fair is Fair!

Until we meet again, Albert Kaufman, 7.17.25

This year’s Resource List!

PS – your comments are welcome! I am always open to feedback.

PPS – here’s my write-up from last year, and that links to previous years. I may do a Resource List for this year in a bit. Joining my email list is a great way to hear when I’ve written something new.

PPS – my friend, Bruce Bartlett had this to say about the Ritz (which turns 50 next year):

“I agree that the Ritz is otherworldly in its effect on people. I have been transformed in there several times. Each time (5) a new level of tension has relented, both somatically and psycho emotionally.

Doing something you (almost always) do in private now openly and relaxed is a powerful ritualistic tool that can dissolve shame. When the internal tension, that is so often held excruciatingly tight in a person who is troubled by their body or their beliefs about it, is finally allowed to release itself, the person enters into a free, open communal space with music and laughter in the background in a way that feels almost surreal at first. I recall the first moment my shower turned off so the splash of the spraying water on me ended. I opened my eyes and started taking in the world around me. The relaxation, conviviality, and acceptance I witnessed filled (informed?) a part of me that had always wanted that sensual environment to exist. Warm fires make for warm conversations. The toning in the saunas still echoes in my mind.

We have created a portal into a profound body-positive world. The fair itself is a towering testimony to the glorious beauty of the body, in a kaleidoscopic, wild, outlandish statement of joy. This celebration in the Ritz of our innate beings with our unique bodies manifests the world as it should be.

Deep appreciation for its builders and keepers. May many be blessed in the portal.”

Thank you, festival culture, for making me who I am.

Philly Folk Festival
Burning Man
Oregon Country Fair
Vancouver Folk Festival
Beloved
Mariposa Folk Festival
Hartford Folk Festival
Middletown Folk Festival
Folklife Festival
Garlic Festival
Singing Alive
Cascadia Songrise
String Summit
World Domination Summit (3)
Neurodiversion 2025

I’m probably missing a few 🙂

And to my Mom and Dad, who pushed me in this direction from the very start

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Life Notes: 10/24/2007

October 23, 2024 by

Personal History – 10.24.2007

A bunch of Habo friends did 30-year summaries after not having seen each other in a long time. Here’s mine from that time.

Hi everyone, well, I find myself with a moment to try to summarize the last 30 years. 🙂 I just read Sue’s and Tami’s, and I’m sure I’ll get to the others, too.

let’s see.  Graduated from NYU in 1984 and fled the country with $2,000 and a guitar.  Back to the holy land for 3 months and a neat little gig at a resort for some of it, then a 6 month or so trip through Europe – Greece, Yugoslavia, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, and England.  I busked (played guitar on the streets) to pay my way, made lots of friends, and had one of those time-of-your-life experiences.  Came back to the States and went to work for Peterson’s Guides for a couple of months and then worked as a surveyor for a couple of months before heading back to Europe – this time to the UK, Scotland, Holland, Belgium, and ending in Paris for about 6 months total.

I went back to the States and thought I’d try my luck with DC and using my pol science degree. That didn’t exactly happen, so I ended up being the head waiter at a new restaurant (Owned by a Moshnik), then worked at the Hyatt and then for Wang Laboratories as a Jr. Secretary.  This was before the time of e-mail, or much else in the high-tech world, but they had e-mail.  On secretary’s day, I sent a note to 2,500 other secretaries in the company, and had some fun chats from that one note… that was in 1986.  During this time Tammi and I dated a little bit, too 🙂  Spent a year in DC, then moved in with Adam Laden in Hoboken, NJ.

That started a 3-year stint of temping – mostly in the investment banking and perfume industries.  I worked for a while in Tower 2 of the World Trade Center – amazing views, sunsets… and feeling the building sway.  Actually, during my NYU days (80-84) a friend and I went and wandered around on floors of the WTC that were not finished yet, that was a trip.  anyway, $18/hr. to do word processing was good money in the late 80s and kept me in sushi and my fine place in Hoboken.

in 1989 I realized it was time to go back to Grad school and applied to a bunch of places, but then a friend from NYU was suddenly single and suggested we go to south America for a trip together.  got shots, put off grad school in my mind, anyway, and we headed off to Venezuela.  About 3 weeks into the trip, which was much like a honeymoon, and I figured this was the beginning of a new relationship that could last a lifetime, she decided to head home and heal from the relationship that had just ended for her.  I was heartbroken, traveled for a little while longer, but then ended what was supposed to be a 6-month trip and came back and started grad school at Rutgers in New Brunswick, NJ.

This is where I met Susi.  Weiss.  from Germany.  an exchange student.  A very beautiful and smart exchange student from Munich.  Well, we hit it off and eventually started something that ended up lasting the next 5 years and beyond in some ways, though I’m currently out of touch (back in touch in 2020’s).  grad school was in international relations.  After one year, Susi was heading back to Germany and so I followed.  ended up in a small town called Konstanz, on the Lake Bodensee in the SW of Germany.  I played music to pay to stay, in restaurants and cafes.  stayed for 6 months and then moved back to the States to finish my degree, then back to Germany for another 9 months and back to the US to take an exam and then ended up back in Munich, where we lived together for 2.5 years, almost got married; almost bought an apartment, but in the end, I’m glad it didn’t happen.  Germany is a nice place except for some of the obvious problems.  Dachau being close by… the language…

Anyway, I came back to the States and didn’t know what to do.  this was 1995.  Ended up traveling to Costa Rica with Elisa, she of the previous Venezuela trip.  this time the tables were turned – she was into me, but I was not into her.  great trip, though.  spent 3.5 months there.  amazing place.  played probably the best music of my life, actually.  learned a lot.  got better at Spanish.

I came back and rented a place in SF for a month.  Then, Susi came over and we toured the Northwest.  somewhere in all of this, I learned Re-evaluation Counseling, during grad school.  That has made a big impact on my life.  It’s also called RC or co-counseling.  That’s one of the reasons we toured the Pacific NW, to practice co-counseling in Seattle.  I ended up moving to Seattle after the trip was over and that’s also where I reconnnected with the high-tech world.  I started with a job with Keane doing tech support for Windows 95, then onto a position as a contractor with Microsoft, a great place to work.  since that time my work life for the past 12 years has mostly been as a software tester – I test to make sure software works like it’s supposed to.  It’s often very easy work, often very isolating…

Seattle was also really good for me as an activist.  I learned a lot, fought some amazing fights – against the FAA, closed down a VA medical waste incinerator, led an effort to keep a Latino community center afloat and thriving… and led an outreach effort in a minority neighborhood with my girlfriend of the time, Freddie, who I lived with for 3 years and went out with for 4.  She is an incredible and strong woman.  It was a tough relationship in some ways, but a very committed one.  After Freddie, I went out with a woman named Tracey who I’m still close with.  Tracey is an angel, faerie, or something like that.  A very sweet and gentle person, that lasted about a year and a half, but was precious.

I have lots of pictures of that time up on the web.

Eventually, I grew tired of the intensity of politics in Seattle and the difficulties I was having in my activist life and also felt I wasn’t really finding my partner there, so I decided to move to Portland, Oregon, where I now live.  I’ve been here for 5 or 6 years…  and, I think I’m home.  I love it here.

Right when I moved here, I got together with a woman named Erica.  someone who is chemically-sensitive, so I learned a lot about that world.  and, she lives in a co-housing community, where I eventually moved in.  So, got to re-experience life on Kibbutz US -style.

That ended after about 3 years.  it was probably the toughest relationship I was ever in.  I think there’s part of me that’s just done with really hard relationships.

I’m kind of in one now, but I think it might be salvaged, cause I feel like I’m with a life partner.  her name is Eecole.  she’s really quite incredible.  vibrant, we love to dance and sing together.  musical.  cares about the world.  we share a lot of friends and are part of a very tight dance community.  we dance together at least every Sunday.  that’s another story for another day, but it’s quite incredible – I’ve never really felt so close to a group of people perhaps since habo days…

and now, sitting listening to radioparadise.com and thinking of what I  have left to do today, and also how much I’ve left out.

Burning Man.  I could write about the 8 times I’ve been there and how that’s shaped my life.

Ayahuasca and my recent journies in that arena.

travel that I’ve left out – Thailand, Hong Kong, VietNam, and various road trips around the US.

the fact that I don’t have kids.  Eecole would like to have some.  we’ll see if we get to that stage.  I’m open to that with her.

most recent work was with the Bonneville Power Administration, as a contractor making the most money I’ve ever made.  $46/hr.  So, I was able to save about $30K and now recently laid off from that gig, collecting unemployment and pondering.

also was just in my first major car accident, so am doing chiro, acupuncture, and massage to heal from that.  I’m fine, but a little shaken still and the accident was 3 weeks ago.

Life has been really good for me.  and this has been a great exercise for me, thanks for taking the time to read.

it’s put me into a nice thoughtful place.

Albert

 

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Sisters Folk Festival 2024

September 30, 2024 by

Lizzie No

Sisters Folk Festival 2024 – What a Hoot!

I’ve been hearing about the Sisters Folk Festival for years. Back when I attended Burning Man religiously – I’d usually come back to Portland and then consider – heading back out for the folk fest and then forget where I left my mind for a couple of months 🙂  So, this was my first year, and what a fun surprise. What a delight! Shades of the Vancouver Folk Festival (which is generally my gold standard for this type of music event) + Central Oregon + high desert = cowboy boots and saloons. Women in dresses – grass growing where it doesn’t belong.

Pics

We started our adventure (Eecole and me) with a sweet visit to my friend Kieran (great picker and good friend) outside of Bend – you can see from the pictures that we got out into a couple of nearby parks and saw some sweet scenery.  We arrived at our weekend home (a parking lot in front of a high school) on Friday, parked Eecole’s camper and then headed into town. Our first venue was The Open Door – an intimate setting – we stayed for 3 acts: Lizzie No, The Pairs (shades of The Wailin Jennies), and San Miguel Fraser – all wonderful and we lucked into front-row seats for the evening! It was a cold night of off-and-on sleep for me – outside in a tent.

Saturday morning Kieran, Erin, Eecole, and I had breakfast and played tunes until it was time to go into the fest. Saturday featured some more intimate workshop-style offerings, so we got to hear more about the background of the performers. I think for me Saturday night was a big highlight – I stood in line to get good seats for a showcase type of performance. That was well worth it as I just loved what we saw Saturday night at the Dave Carter Songwriter Showcase. Everything that followed was equally stunning, too – Especially Kittel & Co. and Vasen.  Vasen, a group from Sweden featured a guy playing an instrument that he built – something ancient. I spent the whole performance watching him play and just wondering what I was seeing. This:

The instrument is bowed. The two men playing also just sent us all into a dreamland and when they were done it was time to bike back to the parking lot (about 2 miles away) in the chilly and windy night. We were battered by a cool wind all night and I didn’t sleep that great.  But hey, you’re at a folk festival, right, so you roll with it.  But boy do I need a new sleeping bag and possibly it’s time to buy/rent a van for these events!

Sunday, breakfast (a hot shower in the High school!), and a few tunes before we packed everything up and drove into town for a couple more performances. I felt lucky to score a great seat at the Open Door where I’d begun the weekend. I watched The Lowest Pair and Peter Mulvey. Peter is someone from whom I want to hear a lot more! What a character.

So, that’s a little bit of my trajectory, but I have to say that the volunteers and organizers really thought this event through in a lovely way. I always felt welcomed. Also – the sound was delicious. I tend to gravitate towards the smaller stages, knowing I’ll get to hear a more intimate experience – and that the sound was so dialed in – I can’t remember a time where I’ve heard such a well-dialed-in mixing. If you’ve ever read my revues of other festivals – I usually complain that the sound is too loud – I’m looking at you Pickathon, Beloved, Strummit – pretty much everything I attend these days – the volume is too loud. This was not that – and I am so so grateful. I might even return just for that aspect. The fact that they also curated a collection of musicians from all over the place that were new and delightful – icing on the cake!

Also, the lighting was lovely. At every stage! The daytime weather was delicious. And though we drove through a fire on our way to the festival, the air was clear all weekend. OK, time for a couple of improvements:

The festival could do more outreach before the festival happens (via an email newsletter) to encourage attendees to:

  1. Be super careful not to have car alarms ready to kick off – this happened a number of times throughout the weekend and was a noticeable disturbance. This could be improved through education.
  2. Learn how roundabouts work – they are yield situations – not necessarily time for stopping

Lastly, I suggest the festival ask the local municipal airport to see if planes can take off and land – not over the town (this didn’t happen often, so I imagine they have a choice). I mean I think they should do this always, but esp. when you have thousands of people outside listening to intimate music. Something tells me the right letter could make this happen. This festival obviously has some presence in town and I bet for one weekend small planes could avoid flying over the town.

Otherwise, wow, kudos to the festival organizers. It was very well done. I had a great time and I learned about a bunch of new musicians I hadn’t heard of before.  Next year I might even come to the songwriter camp that leads up to the festival.

Thank you! Albert Kaufman, 9.30.24

 

If you like photos, here are some of our time there. And here’s the Spotify playlist of all the artists.

MC Mike Meyer welcoming us at the Open Door

If you’d like to try out my writing further, pick a newsletter and hop aboard!

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OCF 2024 – Resources

July 16, 2024 by

Resources: OCF Booths and more

One of the lenses I see the world through is a marketing one. So, part of my life at festivals is seeing what is going on marketing-wise. Sometimes I can be helpful to a vendor or learn something myself. So, in no particular order – here is some of what came out of my bag this morning and the attached memories and stories. If you see any mistakes, please let me know @ albert@albertideation.com! Thanks. I also did a more overview write-up – that’s here.

  1. Vestiks amazing shirts!
  2. Harm Reduction Resources: from 8 til late – Rainbow Connection – Xavanadu – this ties in with the big contingent of healing resources and health education that happens here.
  3. I keep a list of Vendors I email about marketing once or twice a year – if you’d like to be on that list, click here.
  4. Todji Kurtzman – one of the artists this year. He had a piece in Xavanadu – todji.com for more of his incredible work!
  5. Someone from Lost Valley Education Center led a fun workshop on how to throw a block party – including 7 tips to throw an epic block party handout. It included an Icebreaker Bingo card which I used over and over again for the rest of the day.  They are at lostvalley.org – this was in Community Village on Sunday afternoon. Lost Valley is also hosting a Conscious Growth Convergence September 27-29 – looks lovely.  More info at consciousgrowthconvergence.org
  6. A friend mentioned Johnny Franco and Brother Dan – and their serenading of the audience. I didn’t see them, but she sent a video.
  7. Rebecca Bashara – metalsmith/designer – These folks were near my home booth, L12 – had these lovely stones lined up on tables and on a model that changed during the day. Very lovely.
  8. Then there’s the booth where you wish your Mom was there. Wooliza Fiber Arts was that one for me. Incredibly lovely woven pieces. wooliza.com
  9. LyndaFeman Ceramics – I always love to stop by and see what Lynda has going on. She usually has at least one fancy menorah! This year’s was delightful
  10. I’ve been stopping by and saying hi to Astrologer Mark S. McNutt for years. I loved hearing that he’s very full up in his work. It’s great when any solopreneur is so popular they don’t need to do much marketing. astrowizardry.com 
  11. I have a newsletter for friends and family called The Eleven – you can sign up for it here. + Smiles from this year’s event.
  12. Autumn Higgins – Ceramics, Art, Custom Pottery – Someone showed me a coffee mug they’d purchased from Autumn, and then later I happened upon her booth. Beautiful work! autumnhiggins.com
  13. Stage Coach Farm & Forge. I’d never seen this person’s work before. Hefty skillets and cookware. Damn, these things are heavy and will last several lifetimes. I’ve actually never seen anything like it. stagecoachforge.com
  14. One of my favorite parts of the whole time I’m at Fair is finding things that are being done elsewhere (I’m looking mostly at you, Eugene) that we might be able to bring to Portland. bringrecycling.org/classes is in that category.
  15. Raising Resilient Bees – digginlivin.com/book – there were a few bee-related booths – this one from Energy Park. I also purchased some of their propolis. Yum!
  16. Creative Spirit Collaborative – A Eugene-based group.
  17. Rabblebox 3-stringed guitars. Neato!
  18. Got feedback for OCF 2024? Online: https://tinyurl.com/4sjxtrp9 or, by mail: 442 Lawrence Street, Eugene, OR 97402
  19. If you walked the 8 you likely saw Jeff Eichen taking photographs with a tripod. He’s often dressed in green and he’s hard to miss. He’s doing good work to help those who have records due to cannabis use. Check out releaffoundation.org 
  20. How did Jenny Leis’s card get in my collection? Your Enthusiasm is Contagious – says her card. I was actually speaking to someone who I want to connect to her work in facilitation, training, and consulting. And for now: jennyleis.com
  21. Ah, this next one is special. The Eugene Environmental Film Festival! The woman in Community Village who was sharing about this event offered me a t-shirt which I’m wearing proudly. What she is doing is fantastic and I may travel to Eugene for this this fall. This is also where I heard the phrase “platform maker” for the first time. More about that as I learn more.
  22. Another one that my Mom would love. Wood ‘n I Weavings!
  23. Evan Burnette – Local Art Glass – lovely work!
  24. Pure Love Chocolate – This was their first time at the fair and they rocked it.  zero sugar.  yum!
  25. Wileyware, Booth L12 – We had fun and sold many glasses. I added to my collection and saw so many friends and laughed so hard – thank you, Marcia Wiley!
  26. L49 – James Island – Trees of Light Lamps – beautiful.
  27. I spent a lot of time with Joshua Morton. I believe this next picture is of his work. It sounds like he does a lot of good in the world – proceeds from his art – he donates his money from this event to a college scholarship fund for students in his area. Enjoy

Honorable Mentions – areas I visit a lot every year: Energy Park and Community Village – rock on!

Thanks for visiting – stay in touch! Albert

OCF 2014

OCF 2017

OCF 2022 – a very short and different fair

OCF 2023

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About Last Night – Portland Folk Festival 2024

January 13, 2024 by

Portland Folk Festival 2024

A fun thing happened last night – and it couldn’t have without a lot of different things coming together at once. It all started with an email yesterday afternoon.

I was preparing for an evening of pre-storm pj’s and a movie. Cozy. Warm. Home. Instead, I said “Yes!” and off I headed into a night of fun and adventure. Normally, receiving some gifted tickets to something wouldn’t warrant a blog entry, but there’s more fun to share.  On the way to the show, I got a follow-up email that there was a second ticket available. This led to me scrambling to find someone to go with.

I turned to my Constant Contact mobile app (I was on the bus into town at this point) and sent a note to my “Tag along at the last minute” list – to see if anyone wanted to join me. That only turned up a friend from Seattle saying hi. But the fact that I could do this felt very fun and sometimes it works like a charm.

I got into the Crystal Ballroom and there were vendors and seating and fewer people than I’d ever shared that room and dance floor with. It was super sweet and people were in a great mood. The music was lovely, too. I got to hobnob with some Portland music legends – Worth, and Louie Longmier – both folks I’d been wanting to meet over the years. The artists also seemed really pleased to be playing for this festival. The Festival raises money for homeless projects around Portland.

Music Portland was there and I got to speak with one of their board members, Rose Gerber, who shared what the organization needs volunteer-wise. I may plug in and help.  Also, $ raised by the event is going to All Good Northwest.

I ended up talking to the folks at Shady Pines Radio and they invited one of their staff to take the extra ticket and she showed up with a big smile on her face!

At the end of the night, the person who had gifted me the ticket introduced herself and we shared a Lyft home.  What a fine way to spend the evening than home alone! And a Folk Festival – in Winter! I hope they do a Summer one – I’ll help and volunteer!!!

They’ve canceled tonight (Saturday’s show), but intend to pull it all together for Sunday. I’ll likely go! Join me!

It all started because someone I don’t know but who is on my email list (who receives my newsletters) reached out to me. Albert smiling.

PS – I did some live streaming (not fantastic quality, but hey) on my Facebook account here.

PPS – Here’s a Spotify playlist of the many groups that play this festival!

Plushrooms! the vendors were great!

Here’s a write-up of part two which was smooshed into one day a few weeks later. It was a great day and I took some pics and videos located here.

song a day

you can give Song a Day a try. A new song every day for 232 days.

 

 

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