About Yes! Yes! Yes! 56 years of the Oregon Country Fair
The Oregon Country Fair began in 1969 near Eugene as a
fundraiser for the Children's Community School, a local alternative school. In
1972 and 1982, the Grateful Dead headlined the event, and the fair took to the
sky. Over half a century later, it is an Oregon Heritage Festival attracting
45,000 people every year. This three-day celebration set in the forest is
filled with a variety of music, art, entertainment, costumes, food,
philanthropy, and frivolity. The mission of the Oregon Country Fair is to create
experiences that nourish the spirit, explore living artfully and authentically
on earth, and transform culture in magical, joyous, and healthy ways.
Archivist Terry Baxter tells the history of the fair and its continuing
influence today.
Terry Baxter has been an archivist for 40 years, currently
with Multnomah County and the Oregon Country Fair. He is a past president of
the Society of American Archivists and a founding member of the Association of
Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums.