50th Anniversary--Summer Of Love

This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the "Summer Of Love".   It is a period that in retrospect, would define the decade.  It may be the most polarizing times in our nation's history next to the Civil War.  The Viet Nam war was raging and with TVs in every living room, the horrors of war were brought home. 
Many disaffected youth headed for the parks of San Francisco, where they grew long hair, did drugs and listened to rock music. 
There were many different things that were going on at the time that from an outside perspective, would tend to be lumped together.  It was for the most part, the beginning of the "counter culture", Hippies gathered all over the country, but the central spot seemed to be the Haight-Ashbury District of San Francisco.  Bay area based bands like the Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead became popular.
 Of course, the Beatles at that time, released "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", a total departure from anything that group had done.  As a matter of fact, there had never been any work quite like that album.  It gave birth to what is known as a concept album. Songs that can be fit together to tell a story or reflect an idea.
People remember the Summer Of Love with either affection or disdain, depending on their perspective.  Celebrations have been taking place in San Francisco with exhibits and events.