By Jamie Johnson
Laguna Woods Globe Special
Laguna Woodstock returned to the Village last weekend, and hundreds of residents and their guests came to experience – or relive – the music and vibe of the 60s.
A sea of tie-dye tops, peasant blouses, mini skirts, fringe vests, peace signs, headbands and flowers rolled onto the lawn and patios of Clubhouse 2 on Saturday, June 25.
People had marked out their place at the festival early: retractable awnings, lawn chairs, coolers and tables laden with food and drink covered the grass.
Inside the clubhouse, a makeup artist, henna artist, tarot card reader, jewelry and clothing vendors, and photographers holding photo booths kept festival-goers happy.
“People can let loose, have fun, act like they did years ago and make memories,” said Nadine Asner, president of the Boomers Club, which has organized the music festival for a dozen years. years. “We can all use it after several years.”
And did they ever let go, the pandemic a distant memory. Hippies and budding hippies filled the patio, dancing to music from Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, CSNY, Jefferson Airplane, the Who, CCR, Santana and more, provided by three bands: Lifetime Rockers, for the first times at Laguna Woodstock; The village band The Nomads; and fan favorites Love Saves the Day headlined.
“It’s a great outing for everyone here. They go out and they feel like they can just be themselves,” Jeff Richards said.
Richards and his wife, Roshell, have lived in the village for a year and a half and this was their second Laguna Woodstock. The couple and their guests have embraced the vibe and matched their 60s outfit perfectly.
“Everyone is having a great time and enjoying it, and I’m glad they’re hosting this event,” Roshell Richards said. “I think it’s a good thing for the community we live in in particular.”
“There’s such a diverse age group,” added Jeff Richards. “There are people here with their grandchildren who don’t belong here in terms of age, but they like to feel part of it, and they learn a bit about it – that’s the good thing.”
Four-year-old resident Dianna Rimer was enjoying the music festival with her mother, Dottie Vartanian.
“Everyone is happy. They just forget about their problems and live in the moment,” Rimer said. “It really lifts the spirits in the community. present is where it’s happening.
For many at the festival, Laguna Woodstock brought back memories of the iconic 1969 event in upstate New York.
“It was just one of those defining things for this generation in the ’60s,” Lee Pound said. “It’s something most of us grew up with, but it was more about getting away from the old restrictions, and a bit more freedom and enjoying life, having a good time. “
Asner, the president of the Boomers Club, was a teenager at the original Woodstock and says she was “forever changed by the event”.
“Even though there was little food, water, toilets and payphones, there was a common sense of community that spontaneously evolved,” she said. “I think it was a unique moment in history.”
But Saturday was all about the moment.
“It makes me feel good to see all these people here partying, and some of them are way older than Woodstock,” Jeff Richards said. “Hopefully when we’re their age, we’ll still be here having a good time.”
