History Michigan Womyn's Music Festival

1 history

1.1 background
1.2 foundation , years
1.3 1980s
1.4 1990s

history
background

america s first women s music festivals began appearing in 1970s, starting day festivals @ sacramento state , san diego state university campuses, midwest women s festival held in missouri, boston women s music festival, , national women s music festival @ university of illinois @ urbana–champaign. these first regional women-only events exposed audiences feminist , openly lesbian artists, of whom operated independently of mainstream recording industry. festival gatherings offered alternative urban bars, coffeehouses , protest marches, of few opportunities lesbians meet 1 in 1970s. feminist separatism of spaces direct outgrowth of , solidarity activism created black power , other racial solidarity movements.

foundation , years

as private, women-only camping event, michigan festival founded in 1976 19-year-old lisa vogel, who, sister kristie vogel , friend mary kindig, planned event along lines of recent boston women s music festival , midwest women s festival.

1980s

in 1982, festival, in seventh year, moved present 650-acre location near hart, michigan, attracting largest audience date (upwards of 8,000 campers.) gradually, added acoustic stage (and august night open mic stage) in addition day stage , night stage programming. after discussion, cement-paved walkways added ease women mobility challenges , baby strollers. barbara boo price became lisa vogel s business partner after 1985 festival , increasingly involved production until 2 parted ways in 1994, during decade saw many unique challenges—including production of 10th anniversary double album in 1985; growth of gathering 5 days (with new intensive workshops) 1986; extraordinary thunderstorms of harmonic convergence year in 1987; outbreak of shigella in 1988 (the swift handling of praised both local , national health inspectors).

1990s

during 1990s festival updated structurally , musically expand styles of stage performance new generation of performers, adding runway night stage, mosh pit, , acts including indigo girls , tribe 8.

writing personal perspective village voice in fall 1994, artist , festival kitchen worker gretchen phillips expressed universal reaction first festival-- had never seen many breasts before, many bare asses, damn skin on such vast terrain. decided make weekend studying body issues —and went on include cited reaction:

ve used mich place charge batteries rest of year, planning life around being there in august , learning lessons, both fun , hard.

playwright carolyn gage later said:

@ michfest, can experience degree of safety not available woman time anywhere except @ festival. , mean? means achieves level of relaxation, physical, psychic, cellular, had never experienced before. free, sisters. free. first time in life.