Hello from Oregon Country Fair! I absolutely LOVE festivals and whilst I’d describe myself as a festival veteran, this is the first festival I’d been to stateside. OCF was described to me as a hippie festival and it was very hippie, hippie like the aging UK hippies can only dream of. About one hour in I was sat in the baking sun, talking to a face-painted flower child with dreadlocks named Honeysuckle about how she felt the spirit of the earth around her at the festival; Woodstock or OCF?
OCF was a lot smaller than most of our UK festivals but still had loads to do. The vegan options at this festival were incredible, as were the array of crafts. I absolutely adored the carved trees and these beautiful tree-top umbrellas we found. I came back with about 40 photos and zero money but a lot of amazing memories; spending three hours walking around a field looking for my cousin with some University of Washington students I’d just met, falling asleep under the stars with a group of philosophers, starting a “music parade” at 2am and being followed by the local Sheriff, having a ten-minute conversation about Pokemon with an 8 year old, finding a frog in the showers (aka, a creek) which promptly ran away from me and drunkenly witnessing a walking tree parade with my equally freaked out cousin (it was terrifying). And those are just the safe for work stories!
I really dislike the “festival fashion” and “how to survive festival” rubbish we get over here written by people who have clearly never been to a festival. I mean, I like a lot of crazy clothes and I don’t use make-up/hair products anyway so I always feel very at home at festivals, but really if anybody is packing a load of new clothes and worrying about your hair-washing options then you’re doing it wrong. If you’ve ever been to a festival you’ll know that a) everybody there is either covered in mud or off their face, b) you should only take clothes you don’t mind losing or ruining and c) all the best bits happen at night where nobody can see you. Festivals are really not about fashion but about the music and the people and it was so refreshing to be somewhere that knew that. What festivals are you guys going to?
P.S. I am so behind with America blogs, I’ve actually been back about 3 weeks now… so these photos are maybe a month old? Argh! I might just stop showing you America and return to the present day. My views have been going crazy recently whilst my comments have dropped… welcome new silent readers and please stick around! Fellow bloggers, does anybody else sporadically find random trends in their blogging?
TAPE PARADE 
I’d love to try out a festival of this sort – especially in the US. I think it’d be quite an experience! Did you listen to lots of fab music?
I’m going to End of the Road festival next week, which is a small folky-kinda-thang in Dorset. I can’t wait!
Much love xx
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Oh my gosh yes! That sounds fun, hope you have a good time. Yes! Listen to the California Honeydrops – they were amazing. XX
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Oh, this looks like a perfect festival! I love hippies!! I bet the vegan food was amazing, and I would have loved to see the walking trees. I love your pretty floral shorts, and the painted bus! I know exactly what you mean about UK festivals. The festival fashion thing is so weird, it’s almost as if people dress up as “boho” just for the weekend, like they would if they were going to a fancy dress party. Obviously it’s fun to dress up at a festival in a way that’s different to how you would normally dress, but there’s something very forced and fake about the “festival fashion” that we’re fed in magazines etc. And people post “festival essentials” posts with 20+ beauty products. I don’t have time for that, and I don’t even use that many when I’m not in a tent (although I do have time to decorate myself with glitter. Always.) I’m not going to any festivals this year unfortunately. The last one I camped at was Leeds a few years ago, and I’ve sort of fallen out of love with that festival. People are mean and the crowd can be agressive. I want to try out some different one’s though, maybe Bestival or Latitude or Glastonbury. Sorry for the extremely long comment! xxxx
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No I appreciate the long reply Jess, glad to hear your thoughts chiming with mine. Glastonbury is the absolute best festival we’ve got – definitely recommend going if you can next year. Working is the best way to get a ticket! xx
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This looks like the festival of my dreams! Sounds so fun and I agree, festivals are not about lugging a two ton makeup bag around with you :)
Anna | Taupe Cassette
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wow that festival looks like a lot going on! Glad you had a good trip :)
I’ve noticed when I neglect my blog I tend to get less comments, but when I blog consistently I tend to get more comments lol Can’t wait to hear what else you’re up to lately :)
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