Fifty years ago this weekend, the Ozark Music Festival took place. Later described as the ‘Woodstock of the Midwest’, the event was held at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, MO. The promoters, when seeking approval and a contract, had convinced the state that this would be a bluegrass festival with perhaps 50,000 attendees. Instead, it was a 3-day rock-and-roll fest, with crowds estimated at well over 250,000.
Naturally, the fairgrounds (and the town) were ill-equipped to handle such a crowd. Food vendors quickly ran out of supplies, restroom and shower facilities were overwhelmed, and ice was nowhere to be found. Temperatures were over 100 degrees for the entire weekend, and there were a large number of heat-related injuries. Security within the grounds was non-existent, and a wide variety of drugs were being openly sold and exchanged, including acid, mushrooms, mescaline, and of course tons of pot. There were probably several hundred overdoses treated at the local medical facilities.
I was 21 at the time. I arrived in Sedalia on Thursday night with two buddies, and we were lucky enough to find a back way into the grounds where we found a camping spot to pitch our tent. The place was jam-packed with people my age, and clothing was optional. We survived on bread, bologna, apples, and beer, and we managed to stay until Sunday afternoon.
Some of the bands I remember seeing included America, The Eagles, Bob Seger, Leo Kottke, Ted Nugent, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Marshall Tucker, and REO Speedwagon. There were many other acts as well. On Friday night, The Eagles dedicated their performance of “Already Gone” to Richard Nixon, who would resign a few weeks later. My personal highlight was getting to within 50 feet of the stage on Saturday night to see Lynyrd Skynyrd put on an awesome show.
Although my memories have severely faded in fifty years, I look back on that weekend with no regrets. I left Sedalia with a killer sunburn and an experience that is definitely one of the highlights of my life.
Any other Dopers attend and would care to share some memories?