Say YaY for Monterey 😍 The iconic event was full of notable performances by Canned Heat, Laura Nyro, Jefferson Airplane, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, and the Grateful Dead. Monterey’s multi-genre bill offered the best of what the 1960s had to offer: sentimental folk, experimental psychedelia, and straightforward rock ‘n’ roll. In addition to the music, the festival’s social attitude, artistic style, and general “vibe” helped define the ethos of the Summer of Love. West Coast was a musical mecca, and the Monterey Pop Festival was the world’s journey to this central point.
Roughly 200,000 people attended the Monterey International Pop Festival. Compared to Woodstock’s approximately 400,000, the 1967 festival seemed somewhat small. But at the time, it was one of the largest and most significant musical events the U.S. had ever seen. Fortunately for many of the artists involved, this impressive accolade meant that their inclusion on the lineup caused their careers to skyrocket practically overnight.