Satsop Riverfair and Tincup Races - 1971
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Satsop Riverfair and Tincup Races - Music Festival 1971
New York state had Woodstock. And Washington had Satsop.
A four-day rock festival held during Labor Day weekend of 1971 was held at a 77-acre farm near the small town of Satsop in Grays Harbor County. Officially called the Satsop Riverfair and Tin Cup Races, the music festival was inspired by Woodstock, which was held two years earlier.
The Satsop festival drew 60,000 people. Several music acts performed, including the Youngbloods, Eric Burdon, Spencer Davis and the Steve Miller Band.
The festival drew notoriety when four people were wounded by gunshots during a conflict with a motorcycle club from Eugene, Oregon. Another 20 people were injured when a bus carrying 50 from the festival ran off a 30-foot cliff on the first day. Two others suffered minor injuries when a watermelon truck drove into the crowd.
I showed up with some folks that I had know in high school. I had a Minolta 35 mm camera with only 135 mm lens. I was there more for the party than photographing and my vision/passion was yet to really develop.
