Ono & Lennon's Quit Peace Fest

The Onolennons sent the festival’s promoters a telegram of withdrawal on March 12th which read; “Just read your report. Have done exactly what we told you not to. We set it up to be free. We want nothing to do with you or your festival. Please do not use our names or our ideas or symbols, (signed) John and Yoko Lennon.”

Lennon said later that week that he had “never committed himself’ to the festival. Brower issued a statement which read; “John and Yoko now want the festival to be completely free. While we agree with the intent we are reluctant to accept the responsibility of another Altamont.”

“I feel that a free festival would be an incredible catastrophe,” Brower continued. He also claimed that the Canadian government would neither condone or permit a festival of that magnitude.

However, the original plan, that 50% of the gross would go to the Onolennon peace fund, would have been supported by the Canadian government; they would have chipped in for 50% of the expenses. (It’s unclear why Canada didn’t,, or doesn’t, just donate that amount to the fund; probably has something todo with free enterprise.)