Fifty years ago, Oregon’s Republican governor did something that has never been done before or since: He authorized and encouraged young people to attend a free, drugfueled rock concert at a state park. The decision might have ended in disaster. Instead, tens of thousands of people attended, successfully drawing antiwar protesters away from President Richard Nixon’s planned visit to Portland.

"Oregon Experience" takes a look back at Vortex 1: The only statesponsored rock festival in U.S. history.

Content Alert: Partial Nudity.

Read more: How Oregon’s GOP governor teamed up with hippies to throw a festival and prevent clashes in the streets https://www.opb.org/article/2020/08/2...

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