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Easy Rider reigns supreme as one of the best biker movies of all time. The brilliance of writer, director and actor Dennis Hopper paved the way for “the New Hollywood” by sparking independent filmmaking fever in 1969. And, more importantly, the film showed the country what it meant to be a free spirit in the late ‘60s. Re-live the psychedelic era as you blaze a trail for gorgeous Taos, New Mexico -- Hopper’s home at the time of filming and the location of many of the movie’s famous scenes -- for Taos Summer of Love 2009, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
From May through September, Taos Summer of Love 2009 will feature an amazing array of events, art, film and music. Not only will you be able to indulge in everything lovely, artistic and free about Taos, you’ll get to ride the same roads filmed in Easy Rider….talk about bragging rights! And you could potentially meet Hopper himself, as he will be in and around Taos this summer.
Taos Summer of Love 2009 events include a feast with Hopper! On May 3, the University of New Mexico’s non-profit museum the Harwood Museum of Art is hosting a fundraising dinner with Dennis Hopper; all proceeds benefit the Harwood Museum of Art. This dinner is the kickoff to the summer-long Hopper at The Harwood event. From May 9 - September 20, visitors can enjoy two Hopper-related shows: “Silver Gelatin Prints by Hopper” and “Hopper Curates,” featuring artwork by five artists and long-time friends of Dennis: Larry Bell, Ron Cooper, Ronald Davis, Ken Price and Robert Dean Stockwell. By way of Los Angeles, all of these artists came to make Taos their home in the early ‘60s during a time when the number of serious artists in LA was minimal. Living in the same neighborhoods, the group frequented the same haunts and knew each other through their shared creative profession.
Also in May, you can join thousands of fellow bikers May 22 – 25 at the 26th Annual Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally & Run to Taos’ Vietnam Memorial. The weekend will feature live music and food, and a mobile Matanza on the Taos Plaza, commemorating the town’s 75th anniversary and featuring a great local Hispanic culinary tradition. The Red River Classic Car Show will be held the weekend of June 5-7, the 11th Annual Taos Solar Music Fest runs June 26 through 28 at Kit Carson Park, and the Toast of Taos Wine Festival starts July 3.
These are just some of the many things you can enjoy in Taos this summer. But be sure to reserve some time for cruising the town on your bike. Any motorcycling fan will drool over the rugged, scenic landscapes and wide-open spaces that make Taos famous. More than 1,200 feet across from rim to rim, The Rio Grande Gorge offers visitors views of astonishing lava flows, extending to the Rio Grande Canyon. At 806 feet, The Rio Grande Bridge is the fifth-highest bridge in the US.
One of the most fascinating and famous scenic spots around town is the Taos Pueblo, home of the Taos-Tiwa Indians. It is located two miles north of Taos, and is at an elevation of 7,000 feet -- as is the Town of Taos -- and cool even in August. At the Pueblo, you can experience the rich cultural heritage exemplified by the exquisite Native American architecture and the seasonal ceremonial dances. It is the only living world heritage site in the US. There are times when photography is strictly prohibited, which makes a trip to the pueblo all the more special. Go to www.taospueblo.com for more information.
Taos Summer of Love 2009 also features an exciting contest! Visit www.taossummeroflove.com to enter your name in the Summer of Love Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to Taos worth upwards of $4,000! The package for two includes airfare/ground transport, three nights’ accommodations, a guided Harley-Davidson tour of the town, spa treatments, a $1,000 “coupon” toward a fine art purchase, museum passes and more!
So dust off the love beads, don your fringed leather jacket, and roll on into to Taos this summer! For press information, contact Jill Beaverson at 707-971-0687 or jbeaverson@griffinassoc.com, or visit www.TaosSummerofLove.com.
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