Want to learn a little far-out Oregon history? Make your way to the Columbian Theater at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, to check out “Vortex I: A Biodegradable Festival of Life,” an hour-long documentary about the legendary and notorious rock festival held outside of Estacada in the late summer of 1970.

More than 100,000 people partied over five days in McIver Park in the only state-sponsored rock festival in American history.

The festival marked an unprecedented collaboration between young idealists and Gov. Tom McCall, then facing re-election, and was staged when the American Legion held its national convention and the FBI predicted some 75,000 pro- and anti-Vietnam War demonstrators would clash in Portland.

The film, produced by the Clackamas County Government Channel and directed by Terry Musgrove, is based on a bestselling Oregon book, “The Far Out Story of Vortex I,” written by Matt Love.

“The film is an entertaining and thought-provoking look at one of the truly unbelievable stories in Oregon history,” said Love, who served as a consultant to the documentary. “Many long-time Oregonians will especially love seeing Gov. McCall in action,” he added.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Proceeds benefit Hipfish, the Columbia Pacific region’s alternative monthly magazine. Advance tickets are available at the Astoria Co-op, Cleanline Surf in Seaside, Jupiter Books in Cannon Beach and Mother Nature’s in Manzanita.

A question and answer session and book signing with Oregon writer and longtime hipfish columnist Matt Love follows. DVD versions of the documentary will also be raffled off. For more information, call (503) 338-4878.