This summer, Taos, New Mexico, celebrates the 40th anniversary of the movie Easy Rider, with its Summer of Love Celebration.
For those of you too young to remember Easy Rider, it is one of the iconic movies of the 60’s.
It debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1969, and was both a counterculture classic and a warning against the communal lifestyle and use of drugs popular in the era. It starred Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson, was produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper, and featured music from Steppenwolf, Jimi Hedrix, the Band, and the Byrds.
Dennis Hopper was living in Taos at the time Easy Rider was filmed, and some of the shots were filmed there. Taos was home to a thriving artists colony along with several thriving communes. Although the town is much different today, it is still appeals to those searching for a different, perhaps alternative, way of life.
Hopper remains a part-time resident of Taos, New Mexico, and the festival features two of his exhibits at The Harwood Museum of Art. The summer is full of events, including art, film and music designed to let you flash back to a the era of the late 60’s.
Taos Summer of Love runs May through September, and kicks off with a fundraising dinner with Dennis Hopper to benefit the Harwood Museum. The full Summer of Love schedule is available, and you can also follow them on Twitter.
You may not have been Born to be Wild in 1969, but you can recreate the experience in Taos this summer.
Image credit: Courtesy of Taos Vacation Guide
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