We all have a summer that changed our lives but there was one that made history: 1967 in San Francisco.
At that time the Vietnam War was in full swing. That unjust war triggered large social protests in the United States, especially among young people who were drafted. The motto “Make love, not war” was heard throughout the country and its message quickly spread to other parts of the world, especially Ibiza.
But let's go back to San Francisco. From the demonstrations, a new pacifist and revolutionary way of life was born. The anthem of '67 sang: “If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair… If you're going to San Francisco, Summertime will be a love-in there”. It was the summer of love, psychedelia, freedom, community life, a bohemian and artistic underground and the fight for civil rights was heating up.
Thousands of young hippies gathered there during that summer celebrating the birth of the new counterculture. A whole movement emerged that defended the sexual revolution and peace, with psychedelic rock as a soundtrack.
The Ibizan summer of love
With the conviction that a better world was possible, many hippies traveled to Europe and Asia in search of places where they could live according to their convictions and ideals. That was how many of them discovered Ibiza. With Franco in power, the island was still unknown to tourists. In the country houses the hippies found the perfect place to start a community lifestyle and soon founded markets as mythical as the one in Punta Arabí, where value was once again placed on crafts, arts and another way of understanding the world. With their colorful dresses and long hair, they caught the attention of all Ibizans; in fact the locals called them “els peluts” which means ¨the hairy ones¨. It is clear that they left their mark on the island. Today we can perceive their essence which has lasted for generations and is part of the identity of Ibiza.We all want a summer of love
But the summer of love did not stop there. The summer of '69 was also unforgettable. It happened just two summers later when around 500,000 young people gathered at the Woodstock Festival. Three days of peace and music where legendary characters such as Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Santana and The Who graced the stages.
Again, there was freedom and optimism.
It may not be as well known but 1988 is also considered another summer of love by many. It took place in the United Kingdom, just at the time when acid house was born and raves were beginning to take center stage.
Now we ask, are you ready to live yours?
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