Oregon Eclipse 2017

More than anything Oregon Eclipse was a testament to will, hard work, and the most amazing group of talented builders, creators, movers & shakers we have ever had the privilege to work with. And a site far away from populated metro areas became host to the most special experience we ever had the honor to work on.

There were so many factors that made this experience special. From the ceremony guided by indigenous elders asking permission from the land to the global collaborations with people from around the world to the monumental task of transforming raw land into a thriving metropolis of creativity, insight, and inspiration, Oregon Eclipse will forever live as a reminder of Margaret Mead’s quote,

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

The site build, production, and teardown took place over the course of nearly 6 months and at times seemed nearly impossible but the end result was a truly groundbreaking collaboration in the festival industry. The project spawned a new organization that drew from myriad international crews and a host of people and projects that had never aligned before. Twelve festivals had put their names behind the project but the staff was drawn from many more. To create such an international collaboration in the United States took quite a special occasion, and how very special it was.

 The first total solar eclipse in the continental United States since 1979… and oh my it was a doozy.

The attendee experience started with numerous workshops under the Elemental Alchemy umbrella. A full Permaculture Design Course began the experience 14 days before the festival began. This was supported by immersives in yoga, art, herbalism, ritual performance and a course that taught people how to take the life of a pastured animal and use all of its parts in the preparation of a feast.

The arrival logistics proved to be… um… challenging… as tens of thousands of seekers of all sorts descended upon Big Summit Prairie for the cosmic spectacle. The lines were long but so was the duration of the event and once inside attendees had access to a curated environment the likes of which had never been seen before. Over 40 different environments were programmed with music, classes, sound healing, performances, live painting, and more hosted in the middle of amazing natural beauty.

Elephant Lake was perfect. Nearly 50 acres of luscious goodness provided a sublime daytime atmosphere. While rumors of the infestation of the candiru fish were proved hilarious, the lake itself was a perfect place to rinse off a mud mask or last night’s festivities, or to reinvigorate after a beautiful sunny day. Floaties filled the entire field of vision and the waterslide bumped house and techno while people flew down the chute into mermaid town.

Tea Houses were packed from dawn til dusk, sounds were healing at astronomical rates, and immersive environments were everywhere you looked. Permaculture gardenscapes and eat art mingled with art temples, western saloons, wonderland style huts, paddleboat run aground, wheels of fortune, and art exhibits that took you Furtherrr all created the perfect foreground for magical romps through the forest.

The music was overwhelming as were the morning hot air balloon rides. Over 400 musical acts played on nearly countless stages. The Sun Stage saw the largest collection of the international trance scene ever witnessed in the United States. The Moon Stage highlighted the best of bass music culture from around the world. The Sky Stage hosted top-level techno and house for days on end while the Earth Stage featured downtempo and galactic squish that moved the body and soul. Silk Road hosted world music from people who actually had instruments, the Big Top featured a rotating selection of circus acts, aerial and fire performances and live bands of all sorts, while the Eclipse stage hosted some of the biggest acts of the somewhat former underground who had ascended through popular festival culture. Its was a sensory overload that was inherently dancey.

The Solar Temple hosted an unprecedented collaboration of indigenous peoples from the territories of the United States and from around the world. A grand ceremony of communion and togetherness drew to a crescendo as the moon overtook the sun and the wall of shadow raced across the prairie enveloping our entire community in shadow, revealing the sun’s corona for all to see. The nearly two minutes of totality seemed impossibly short yet lasted in a timeless moment that we will hold in our hearts forever. When the sun began peeking out in diamond ring formation, the crowd erupted in a primal scream that simultaneously marked the shocking beauty of the extinguishing of the solar energy and the appreciation for its return. The paradox of light and shadow was on full display and highlighted that our place in the universe is truly special. The event continued as a celebration of the victorious moment where our community got to experience the magic of the cosmos… and it was good.

Oregon Eclipse 2017

More than anything Oregon Eclipse was a testament to will, hard work, and the most amazing group of talented builders, creators, movers & shakers we have ever had the privilege to work with. And a site far away from populated metro areas became host to the most special experience we ever had the honor to work on.

There were so many factors that made this experience special. From the ceremony guided by indigenous elders asking permission from the land to the global collaborations with people from around the world to the monumental task of transforming raw land into a thriving metropolis of creativity, insight, and inspiration, Oregon Eclipse will forever live as a reminder of Margaret Mead’s quote,

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

The site build, production, and teardown took place over the course of nearly 6 months and at times seemed nearly impossible but the end result was a truly groundbreaking collaboration in the festival industry. The project spawned a new organization that drew from myriad international crews and a host of people and projects that had never aligned before. Twelve festivals had put their names behind the project but the staff was drawn from many more. To create such an international collaboration in the United States took quite a special occasion, and how very special it was.

 The first total solar eclipse in the continental United States since 1979… and oh my it was a doozy.

The attendee experience started with numerous workshops under the Elemental Alchemy umbrella. A full Permaculture Design Course began the experience 14 days before the festival began. This was supported by immersives in yoga, art, herbalism, ritual performance and a course that taught people how to take the life of a pastured animal and use all of its parts in the preparation of a feast.

The arrival logistics proved to be… um… challenging… as tens of thousands of seekers of all sorts descended upon Big Summit Prairie for the cosmic spectacle. The lines were long but so was the duration of the event and once inside attendees had access to a curated environment the likes of which had never been seen before. Over 40 different environments were programmed with music, classes, sound healing, performances, live painting, and more hosted in the middle of amazing natural beauty.

Elephant Lake was perfect. Nearly 50 acres of luscious goodness provided a sublime daytime atmosphere. While rumors of the infestation of the candiru fish were proved hilarious, the lake itself was a perfect place to rinse off a mud mask or last night’s festivities, or to reinvigorate after a beautiful sunny day. Floaties filled the entire field of vision and the waterslide bumped house and techno while people flew down the chute into mermaid town.

Tea Houses were packed from dawn til dusk, sounds were healing at astronomical rates, and immersive environments were everywhere you looked. Permaculture gardenscapes and eat art mingled with art temples, western saloons, wonderland style huts, paddleboat run aground, wheels of fortune, and art exhibits that took you Furtherrr all created the perfect foreground for magical romps through the forest.

The music was overwhelming as were the morning hot air balloon rides. Over 400 musical acts played on nearly countless stages. The Sun Stage saw the largest collection of the international trance scene ever witnessed in the United States. The Moon Stage highlighted the best of bass music culture from around the world. The Sky Stage hosted top-level techno and house for days on end while the Earth Stage featured downtempo and galactic squish that moved the body and soul. Silk Road hosted world music from people who actually had instruments, the Big Top featured a rotating selection of circus acts, aerial and fire performances and live bands of all sorts, while the Eclipse stage hosted some of the biggest acts of the somewhat former underground who had ascended through popular festival culture. Its was a sensory overload that was inherently dancey.

The Solar Temple hosted an unprecedented collaboration of indigenous peoples from the territories of the United States and from around the world. A grand ceremony of communion and togetherness drew to a crescendo as the moon overtook the sun and the wall of shadow raced across the prairie enveloping our entire community in shadow, revealing the sun’s corona for all to see. The nearly two minutes of totality seemed impossibly short yet lasted in a timeless moment that we will hold in our hearts forever. When the sun began peeking out in diamond ring formation, the crowd erupted in a primal scream that simultaneously marked the shocking beauty of the extinguishing of the solar energy and the appreciation for its return. The paradox of light and shadow was on full display and highlighted that our place in the universe is truly special. The event continued as a celebration of the victorious moment where our community got to experience the magic of the cosmos… and it was good.