Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love in San Francisco… and Cleveland

Related Link Hippies Won the Culture War By Bill Rorabaugh

San Francisco is marking the 50th anniversary of the "Summer of Love" with a kaleidoscope of events celebrating the summer of 1967, when an estimated 100,000 young people made their way to the city's Haight-Ashbury district to be part of a fresh, hip scene.
Back then, "San Francisco was fertile ground for an emerging counterculture movement that blossomed into a season that changed the world, giving rise to art, technologies, revolutionary politics, the international hippie lifestyle, and fostering emerging rock musicians," said Anthea Hartig, CEO and executive director of the California Historical Society. "All of which continue to resonate today."

Wearing tie-dyed clothing and a flower in your hair isn't required when attending a Summer of Love happening, but it would certainly be groovy to do so. Especially on Saturday, May 13, during Flowers in your Hair Day," honoring the pop song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" that became a "flower-power anthem" for the summer and for the hippie movement.

On that day, local radio stations will play the song at noon and flowers will be distributed at various spots throughout the city, including at San Francisco International Airport, where United Airlines' specially numbered flight 1967 will arrive from Los Angeles at Gate 67, Madame Tussaud's figures of Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, and Jimi Hendrix will 'pose' for selfies, and the Gay Men's Chorus will sing the song of the day. (More 'Flowers in Your Hair Day' events here.)