Oregon Country Fair Was Inspiration That Led To Creation Of The First Moisture Festival In 2004

Photo: OCF Photo-Guy

Looking for something inspirational to do? Well we recommend you attend the Oregon Country Fair which runs July 13th through 15th in and around Veneta, Oregon - 13 miles west of Eugene. We thought it be appropriate to pay homage to the Oregon Country Fair because much of the creative inspiration for the Moisture Festival actually originated on the stages and around the campfires at this wonderful Oregon alternative event. The OCF 'renaissance fair' began in 1969. They will be  celebrating its 43 year in 2012.

We are often asked where the idea for the Moisture Festival originated. Well, the first seeds for the Moisture festival were planted at the Oregon Country Fair, these 'seeds' were nurtured in the early days by many, but especially by performers and creative folks involved with the vaudeville, circus and music scene in Seattle. Most of these creative performers and individuals first met at the 'fair'.

In 1996 Tom Noddy the Bubble Guy, a regular at the Oregon Country Fair, surprised Ron W. Bailey with an invitation to attend a Comedy Varietè Festival in Berlin. The event was created by Hacki Ginda, the notorious German clown. The trip was thrilling because it was a great time for the creative performers in Berlin and it was a festival that inspired everyone involved. Every day and night there was unique and wonderful entertainment in two tents, one large theater "The Chameleon" and several smaller venues in mid-town Berlin. Tom Noddy, Ron and Hacki dreamed about someday bringing a festival like that to the people in Seattle.

Vintage Royal Famille duCaniveaux and friends photo from 'Leapin' Louie Lichtenstein

Enter Maque Davis of Cirque de Flambe, The Fremont Players and ex-President for Life of the Fremont Arts Council. Maque helped organize the Fremont Solstice Parade and created "Trolloween." Maque and Ron had often talked about bringing some of the acts from the Oregon Country Fair to Seattle, so in 2003 they joined forces.

Realizing the grand scope of a festival they brought in Tim Furst, aka Fyodor Karamazov of The Flying Karamazov Brothers, along with Sandy Palmer and Simon Neale of the Fremont Players to help organize the event. In 2004, with the help of Fremonstor Theatrical and The Royal Famillie duCaniveaux and the contributions of many artists and sponsors, they created "The Moisture Festival" to bring Comedy/Varietè to the center of the universe and the greater Seattle area.

As they say, 'the rest is Moisture Festival history'.

Again this year members of the Moisture Festival Family will be performing at OCF 2012 with the acts that helped inspire them to create a Moisture Festival. Here's the lineup with links to locations at the fair where you can find The Royal Famillie duCanivieaux, Umo, The Fremont Players and the Fighting Instruments of Karma Band.