Vortex 1

CELEBRATING THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY of VORTEX 1!

In 1970, Governor Tom McCall was presented with a problem: thousands of protesters were planning to picket President Richard Nixon’s visit to Portland at an American Legion conference. At the same time, a group of students was looking to hold a Woodstock-style event in order to avoid another bloody clash with police. From this turmoil, the first state-sponsored rock festival, Vortex I, was born.

Held near Estacada, the music/alternative lifestyle festival drew over 100,000 attendees and generated a fascinating chapter in Oregon’s colorful history. Full of interviews and great archival footage, this must-see locally-made documentary is an entertaining and educational window into a risky political move that paid off and helped keep the peace in Oregon.
vortexposter.jpg

Showtimes

Sunday, September 6