Mountain Aire Festival Photos 1974–1976

Article by: Al Golub|@algolub

Thu June 19, 2014 | 00:00 AM


Instagram photos of High Sierra, Coachella, or Bonnaroo? Nope. Check out this collection of historic images from the now-defunct Mountain Aire Music Festival, held at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angels Camp, California, from 1974 to 1986.

Outdoor concerts were held each summer in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada foothills, where the flower children of the Central Valley came to play. In addition to the big-name musical performers of the time, there was also a first-class air show; craft booths hawking tie-dyed clothes, housewares, and jewelry; food vendors; and belly dancing lessons. The music was always the big draw though, and over the years Mountain Aire attracted major acts like the Doobie Brothers, Journey, Dan Hicks, Elvin Bishop, ZZ Top, and Hall & Oates, to name a few. If you look closely here, you might just spot a very young Peter Frampton.