Love-in

A love-in is a peaceful public gathering focused on meditation, love, music, sex and/or use of recreational drugs. The term was coined by Los Angeles radio comedian Peter Bergman, creator of comedy group The Firesign Theater, who also hosted the first such event on Easter, 26 March 1967 in Elysian Park.[1]

Poster for a Love-In in New Orleans, 1969
For the album, see Love-In.

The term

The term love-in has been interpreted in varying manners, but is often connected to protesting local, social or environmental issues.[2][3] Such protests were often held in opposition to the Vietnam War.[4] As such, love-ins are largely considered a staple of the 1960s hippie counterculture.

More recently the term is occasionally used figuratively to describe a situation in which people shower praise on one another in excess.[5]

Background

The First Love-in was preceded by the Heavenly Happening, at midnight, on November 16, 1966, on the Sheep Meadow in Central Park, organized by New York Parks Commissioner, Thomas Hoving,[6] and the 'Human Be-In at the Polo Fields in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on January 14, 1967.[7][8][9]

First Love-in on Easter in Elysian Park

The First Love-in started before dawn.[10] The Los Angeles Free Press promoted the event.[10] 15,000 people crowded in a natural amphitheater in Elysian Park, and listened to the psychedelic rock bands Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Clear Light, and the Flamin' Groovies.[11][12][13]

1967 New York Easter Be-in

The New York Easter 1967[14] be-in was organized by Jim Fouratt an actor, Paul Williams editor of Crawdaddy! magazine, Susan Hartnett head of the Experiments in Art and Technology organization and Chilean poet and playwright Claudio Badal.[15]

References
  1. "Rare Elysian Park Love-In Poster". Lofty Marketplace.
  2. Book of Life Archived 2017-01-03 at the Wayback Machine reference to early love-ins
  3. A Houston-area "Love In Archived 2011-03-12 at the Wayback Machine" -- a flash mob gathering to save Love Elementary School from being shut down, in March 2011.
  4. "Newsreel". History.sandiego.edu. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  5. "Meaning of "love-in" in English". Cambridge English Dictionary: Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  6. Warsh, Marie. "Happenings: Art, Play, and Urban Revitalization in 1960s Central Park". The Gotham Center for New York City History. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  7. "American Experience Summer of Love". PBS. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  8. Goldberg, Danny (13 January 2017). "All the Human Be-In Was Saying 50 Years Ago, Was Give Peace a Chance". The Nation. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  9. Palmer, Steven. "The Human Be-In Teach-In". Oral History Masters of Arts. Columbia University. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  10. "The Elysian Park Love-In Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary This Sunday". LAist. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  11. "Elysian Park Love-in, March 26, 1967". am on the radio. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  12. "Elysian Park Love-In Los Angeles 1967 Gary Grimshaw AOR 3.53 Event Poster". Concert Poster Auction. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2021. Original 1st printing 17&3/8 x 22&3/8" concert/event poster for the 3/26/1967 Easter Sunday Love-In, an all-day happening held at Elysian Park in Los Angeles, CA......... by Gary Grimshaw, image is featured in the Art of Rock book on page 270 (plate 3.53).
  13. Magnuson, Sulfiati. "This first Love-In for L.A. held in Griffith Park's Elysian Field on Easter Sunday, 1967". Getty Images. Retrieved 7 December 2021. It wasn't just self-identified hippies who attended, but bikers, the "straight" ones, the curious ones, singles and families, and self-proclaimed clans ("families" created by choice) flying home-made banners. And, yes, many were high, openly flaunting the laws. at the 1st Elysian Park Love-In on March 26, 1967 in Los Angeles, California
  14. Holson, Laura M. (25 March 2019). "When a 'Be In' in Central Park Was Front-Page News". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  15. McNeil, Don (March 30, 1967). "Central Park Rite is Medieval Pageant". Village Voice.
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