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To say it was just a music festival, would be to belittle what Oregon Eclipse really was. It was unlike any festival that I’d ever had the chance to attend. It required a lot of effort that most festivals would not require of you. There was months of planning, there was a half a day worth of driving into the middle of nowhere and almost another half a day worth of waiting in lines just to get into the festival itself (some reportedly had to wait 24 hours to get in). The festival had around 40k attendees not including staff, campgrounds took 30-40 minutes to walk across, and temperatures were as high as the 90’s in the daytime and as low as the 40’s in the nighttime. Most festival goers stayed at the festival for 6-7 days total. This was the most time I had spent at one event, and the hardships were expected due to the magnitude of the festival.
But despite all of that effort, the experience paid off in dividends. The community felt so in sync and always on the same positive wavelength. There was fun to be had in every corner and a helping hand if you ever needed it. The festival provided you with so many different experiences [that is was borderline overwhelming and one glance at the schedule could have you decide to simply follow the music]. The endless hours of diverse music was vast across all genres. From the massive Eclipse stage showcasing heavy bass and performances like Bassnectar and The String Cheese Incident, to the Sky stage hosting it’s non stop house (Saturday had Desert Hearts from 6pm to Midnight, Justin Martin till 4am, Lee Foss till 6am, and Marques Wyatt till 8). There was also the famous 24 hour a day Psytrance stage that just kept going through the morning stopping only for the eclipse. Another distinct and unique attraction of the festival was the hot air balloon rides. They were offered in the early morning, lighting up the sky in spectacular fashion.
All of the energy peaked Monday morning around 10:19 AM- the moment of the total eclipse. The festival was held on the Big Summit Prairie which included ancestral grounds for the indigenous tribes of the area. The One Nation Earth tribe invited representatives from all around the world: Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Brazil, Canada and more. It was here that everyone gathered in celebration of the momentous occasion. The One Nation Earth tribe was gracious enough to include us humbled participants in their ceremony. The ceremony included dancing rituals, speeches to motivate taking care of Mother Earth, and a moment of silence during the eclipse itself. The energy of the eclipse resulted in applause, shouting, and an almost spiritual howling at the eclipse. There were tears, smiles, and hugs all around.
All in all, this is a one-of-a-kind event that must be experienced to be truly understood. I’ve heard of those who chased eclipse’s around the world but never truly understood why they did that. After being there and seeing it with my own eyes, I’m already looking forward to 2020 in Patagoa, Chile or 2024 when it returns to the US (either in NY or TX). Kudos to the festival organizers, the security, the staff, the festival goers, and all [those who attended]. Every single one of you played an important part of this experience and communal feel. In short, Oregon Eclipse had it all and it was worth the effort to be there. Till next time.