Festivals - Part 13

Ozark Music Festival, 1974

The Ozark Music Festival in 1974, unlike some others we have seen, was well-planned and approved and was held at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Missouri, a venue that already had a stage and other facilities.  Promoters had lined up an array of top bands.  Wolfman Jack, a popular radio DJ, was the emcee for the concerts.  Above is a poster for the event.  I added the soundtrack from a radio commercial by Wolfman Jack promoting the festival.

Two problems occurred.  The fairgrounds could handle the expected crowd of 50,000.  But the actual attendance was at least 160,000.

The other problem was the temperature, which soared over 100 degrees.  One attendee remembers a radio weather report saying the temperature was 105.  The solution for many was to remove their clothes.

Not everyone got naked, but sights like this were very common.

It was a 3-day event, and the fairgrounds had a campsite area, so many attendees brought tents and camped out.  Again, in the heat, many camped naked.

Another camper.

Casual nudity was the order of the day.

Someone opened a fire hydrant for people to cool off.

There was also a pond ...

And there were water faucets ...

And mud.

Despite the heat, the scheduled bands showed up, and there was was plenty of good music.

Afterwards, however, the fairgrounds were trashed, no doubt because the crowd was so large.  Rampant drug use also occurred and there were overdoses, including one death.  The Missouri State Senate investigated.  Their report stated: “The scene on the grounds at Sedalia made the degradation of Sodom and Gomorrah appear to be rather mild.  Natural and unnatural sex acts became a spectator sport."  The state banned any future rock concerts at the State Fairgrounds.

Those who were actually there remember lots of nudity, but no public sex, either "natural" or "unnatural."  Instead, they remember it as a great time, despite the heat.