SPRINGFIELD – While the 2021 Oregon Country Fair is still up for debate, Springfield Celebrates Authors welcomed longtime fair participant Suzi Prozanski, who shared her research novel of the Oregon Country Fair history from the last three decades.
An annual series presented by the Springfield Public Library, Springfield Celebrates Authors brings local, national, and international authors together to discuss their work. The final event will be on April 17 where the Oregon Book Award Authors will wrap up the season.
PHOTO PROVIDED Prozanski has volunteered at the fair since 1989.
Prozanski has been a crew volunteer for the fair since 1989, after a friend asked for help running his craft booth. She said the fair’s “purpose is to create events that nourish the spirit, explore living artfully and authentically on Earth.” The OCF celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 before cancellation the next year due to the pandemic. At the event, Prozanski presented a slideshow of photos recapping the stories in her new book ‘Brigadoon of the Sixties: Revelry & Kerfuffles at the Oregon Country Fair 1971-1997, 2001,’ showing the community created by the Oregon Country Fair over the years despite some difficulties. One of the images was an advertisement for the fair from 1971, and through the presentation Prozanski commented on how little the appearance of the fair has changed over the years, staying true to the original OCF traditions.
“These could have been taken any year,” Prozanski said about 1983 pictures of colorful face paintings and fair scenery.
This is the second book in the set of Oregon Country Fair’s history, the first book being:
‘Fruit of the Sixties: The Founding of the Oregon Country Fair.’ Both books are available at the Springfield Public Library.
Prozanski’s next book will likely be about the people bringing newness to the new fair planning, but that story is “still writing itself.”
Although the OCF website states a traditional fair is pending for 2021 due to public health concerns, event audience members signed off with, “see you at the fair next year.”
For those looking forward to going to the Oregon Country Fair in 2022, experienced fair attendees recommend comfortable shoes and a ride on the tree bus.
