Sunshine Daydream
On August 27, 1972, the Grateful Dead played an outdoor benefit near Veneta for Chuck and Sue Kesey’s struggling Springfield Creamery. Volunteers built a temporary stage in a field on the Oregon Country Fair site.
Unused Nancy’s Yogurt labels became tickets. Thousands arrived in intense summer heat for a day of music and community improvisation. The proceeds helped the creamery through its financial crisis.
The performance lives on as Sunshine Daydream, its film and concert recording. The creamery was the beneficiary, not the concert location: this story belongs to a particular day in a Veneta field, not a permanent music venue.
A DETAIL TO NOTICE
The day a field became a helping hand
- 1960Chuck and Sue Kesey establish Springfield Creamery.
- August 27, 1972The Grateful Dead play the Veneta benefit.
- 2013Sunshine Daydream receives its official film and album release.
History: KLCC · interviews with Chuck and Sue Kesey · Grateful Dead · official Sunshine Daydream account. Checked October 12, 2026.
Original AI line illustration simplified from venue photography; selected details animate gently within the drawing. Photo reference ↗