Pot, guns, and fun at libertarian Porcupine Fest in the mountains

June 25, 2014: A banner hangs in the camping area at the Porcupine Freedom Festival, or PorcFest. Matthew Cavanaugh for The Washington Post.


June 25, 2014: A banner hangs in the camping area at the Porcupine Freedom Festival, or PorcFest. Matthew Cavanaugh for The Washington Post.

Describing it as "libertarian Burning Man" in the headline is a bit of an oxymoron (hey, there are lots of Libertarians at the real Burning Man), but the Washington Post has an interesting observational feature on a libertarian outdoor festival in the mountains of New Hampshire. Evenings at the Porcupine Festival deep in the White Mountains of New Hampshire include "a drum circle, plumes of marijuana smoke, shared bottles of whiskey and spirited debate."

There are also guns. Lots of guns. Colt .45s, Smith & Wessons, and Rugers hang on hips. A bearded man clings to an AK-47; a guy with a Mohawk has a shotgun with flowers coming out of the barrel strapped to his back. For this isn’t your typical bacchanal in the woods. This is the libertarian version of Burning Man., where a kumbaya discussion around the campfire goes something like this:

“It’s great to be around people who understand. I don’t get how the left won’t just admit that income tax is theft. Who cares if it’s for a good cause? If I held you at gunpoint to pay for my mother’s cancer treatment, wouldn’t that still be theft?”

It's a long feature with lots of photos. Gotta say, looks like a fun gathering.