summer of love

Most usually refers to: 1. The summer of love in San Francisco in 1967, when over 100 000 people converged on the Haight- Ashbury neighbourhood to create a phenomenon of cultural and political revolution. During this time it became the epicenter of the hippie revolution... consisting of free love, psychoactive drugs, sexual freedom, music and free expression. Often considered a social experiment because of the newly emerging lifestyle trends. The term 'psychedelic' is best used to describe the associated atmosphere. 2. The summers of love in the United Kingdom during 1988-89, which saw the exlosion of the acid house movement and the subsequent rave culture. The free warehouse parties, smiley symbol, and the club drug Ecstasy symbolized this summer of love, which is often described as being more hedonistic and indulgent than it's psychedelic counterpart. Although, this summer was partially ruined by the paranoia of the press, who slammed the movement for its use of the word acid: which did not actually refer to the drug LSD, but rather the style of borrowing lyrics, an act referred to as 'acid burning'. However, the press caught the wrong side of this and described the movement as a satanic cult which encouraged the use of drugs- and because of this the once abundant raves faded into the limelight. The term 'second summer of love' has been used to refer to this time. 3. Although it never caught any significant recognition apart from a newspaper article, the alleged 'third summer of love' apparently took place in 2004 - due to the legal loophole which made unprepared magic mushrooms legal to the public. Coverage on the 'third summer of love' was made at Glastonbury, where the festival was fuelled by amongst other things, magic mushrooms. However, the actuality of this summer of love is under much debate, and is probably a pun on the media's behalf. 4. A romance or relationship which can lasts over any specific summer. Sometimes referred to as a 'summer of love' by the couple in question.