August 08, 2011|By Chris Erskine | Los Angeles Times
This is one of those greatly goofy, Age of Aquarius spectacles that makes you think that Oregon has become the hippie fever dream that California was 40 years ago: Beginning Thursday, 1,800 pilgrims from as far away as Japan and Madison, Wis., will pour into Oregon’s Siuslaw National Forest for the Beloved Sacred Arts and Music Festival, a four-day celebration of camping, arts and music near the Oregon coast.
There, in Tidewater (about two hours from Portland), participants will experience a wide field of international folk music and dance besides more digitally driven music provided by electronica DJs.
"We like to play with cultural collision and make it fun," promoter Elliot Rasenick said of the unlikely marriage of electronica and folk.
The festival takes place Aug. 11-15 and also features yoga, performance art, Tibetan healing rituals, and the playing of a 25-string Indian sarod.
"Central to the concept of the festival is our collective understanding that sacred music can help eradicate the illusion of separation from each other, from the earth and from the beloved,” organizers say on their website.
Draw your own conclusions, but we never really considered electronic music to be “sacred.” At least till now.
Since space is limited, advance tickets are recommended. Find out more from the festival website.
08/08/11 >> 
