Through Owl's Eye

Hippiestock in Second Life

A Month of Hippiestock in Second Life — Music, Art, and Community.

Hippiestock is an annual Second Life music, art, and community festival held throughout January.

It is more than a single event on the calendar. Throughout January, the Hippiestock grounds become a place to explore, hear live music, discover art, reconnect with old friends, meet new people, and simply spend some time together.

Founded: 2011 by Hippie Bowman
Where: Second Life
When: Every January
Current stewards: Owl Dragonash and Ceakay Ballyhoo
What you’ll find: Live music, DJs, art, immersive environments, and community events

✌️🧡🎵 Hippiestock ✌️🧡🎵
A place where music, art, and people meet.

Turtle stage 2023 at Hippiestock in Second Life

☮️ From a Forum Gathering to a Second Life Tradition

Hippiestock was founded in 2011 by Hippie Bowman as a gathering for friends who knew one another through the Second Life Forums and wanted to meet “in the pixel.”

What began as a one-day celebration of live music, friendship, peace, and community became an annual Second Life tradition.

Beginning in 2015, Owl Dragonash began helping Hippie with musician bookings and supporting the event.

After eleven Hippiestocks, Hippie ended the festival following the 2021 gathering.

2022 became the one year without a Hippiestock.

During that year away, Hippie and Owl realized how much they missed it — the community, the music, the fun, and the annual tradition of bringing people together.

Hippie asked Owl if she wanted to continue Hippiestock, and passed the torch to her. Owl said yes — and then promptly wondered, “OMG, what am I doing?”

So she asked Ceakay Ballyhoo to help.

Together, Owl and Ceakay brought Hippiestock back in January 2023. The immersive festival grounds were available throughout the month for visitors to wander and explore, while the traditional Hippiestock live music festival remained one big day of performances.

Beginning in 2024, Hippiestock evolved again. Music, art, gatherings, and other events began spreading across January, turning the festival grounds into a month-long experience rather than simply the setting surrounding one festival day.

Today, Owl and Ceakay continue to steward Hippiestock together while keeping the community spirit of Hippie’s original gathering at its heart.

Ceakay Ballyhoo at Hippiestock in 2023

What to Expect at Hippiestock in Second Life

Every year develops its own personality, with a new immersive environment and new things to discover.

Throughout January, visitors may find:

  • Live musicians and DJs across a range of genres
  • Immersive themed builds and art installations
  • Special events and community gatherings
  • Places to dance, explore, photograph, talk, or simply hang out
  • Plenty of spontaneous moments nobody planned at all

Ceakay Ballyhoo leads the creation of Hippiestock’s immersive environment, transforming the festival grounds each year into a place worth exploring in its own right.

Owl Dragonash coordinates the music and events, bringing together performers, artists, and activities throughout the month.

But Hippiestock isn’t something Owl and Ceakay create alone.

Musicians return year after year. Artists contribute their work. Photographers document what happens. Visitors bring friends, ideas, creativity, conversation, and plenty of silliness of their own.

The people who show up are what make Hippiestock.

Hippiestock in Second Life welcomes the hippie and bohemian spirit, but you don’t need to dress a certain way, know everyone, or belong to a particular crowd.

Come dance. Listen to some music. Explore the art. Participate. Meet somebody. Be silly. Or find somewhere comfortable and just enjoy being there.

Owl dragonash 2023 at Hippiestock.

💜 Why Hippiestock Matters

Second Life is filled with events, but some gatherings become traditions.

Hippiestock has endured because people continue to return — not simply for performances, but to reconnect with friends, discover musicians and artists, make memories, and participate in something that has been part of Second Life for well over a decade.

Its form has changed considerably since Hippie Bowman’s original gathering in 2011. What began as a one-day event now gives residents a world to inhabit and return to throughout January.

But the reason for gathering hasn’t really changed.

Music. Art. Creativity. Friendship. Peace. Love. And people spending time together.

Tom and Lizzy Dj sessions 2026

☮️🌈✌️Hippiestock in Second Life Through the Years

Hippiestock has been shaped by the musicians, artists, builders, photographers, and visitors who have become part of its story.

These photographs offer glimpses into that shared history — from the early Hippiestock gatherings through its return in 2023 and the month-long festival it has become today.

Hippiestock Timeline

2027 –
Hippiestock returns in January 2027. This year’s theme, music, art, and events will be added as plans take shape.

2026 — Flower Power
Ceakay Ballyhoo transformed Hippiestock into Flower Power, filling the region with over-sized watercolor flowers, color, light, and playful details. Music, DJs, art, and community events continued throughout January. Peace Love & Music By Inara Pey.

2025 — Turtle Time in Winter
Hippiestock became a watercolor winter landscape, with turtles woven throughout Ceakay Ballyhoo’s immersive environment. A month of music, art, and gatherings unfolded around the Turtle Stage. Your contemporary 2025 coverage specifically describes the winter watercolor landscape and turtles as a central motif.

2024 — The Watercolor Edition
Ceakay Ballyhoo created a watercolor-inspired environment for Hippiestock as the festival expanded into a fuller month-long experience, with music, art, community gatherings, and events throughout January. Inara’s contemporary coverage also documents CK as responsible for the overall build and art exhibition. – Peace LOve & Music 2024 – Inara Pey.

2023 — Hippiestock Returns
After a year away, Hippiestock returned with Owl Dragonash and Ceakay Ballyhoo hosting together. The immersive grounds remained open throughout January for visitors to explore, while the traditional Hippiestock live music festival remained one big day. Inara covered the return as Hippiestock 2023: Peace, Love and Music in Second Life. Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld

2022 — A Year Away
Hippiestock took a year off. During the break, Hippie Bowman and Owl Dragonash realized how much they missed the annual gathering. Hippie asked Owl to continue the tradition and passed the torch to her.

2021 — Hippie’s Final Hippiestock
Hippie Bowman hosted the 11th Hippiestock on January 30, 2021, bringing together a full day of live music and community. It was the final Hippiestock hosted by Hippie before the festival took its year-long break in 2022.

2014 — Owl Joins In
Owl Dragonash begins helping Hippie Bowman with musician bookings and supporting Hippiestock. That year’s gathering drew around 70 avatars to Lagrange Point, with residents on the Second Life Forums trying to break the region’s previous crowd record.


2011 —Hippiestock in Second Life Begins

Hippie Bowman hosted the first Hippiestock on January 15, 2011, bringing together friends and familiar faces from the Second Life Forums for a day centered on peace, music, and community. More than 140 people attended over the course of the event, with as many as 68 avatars on the region at one time.

Afterward, Hippie wrote, “I believe that we have started a grand tradition here.”

He was right. Hippiestock would return the following year and grow into a Second Life tradition.

Read: The Alphaville Herald — Hippiestock and the Sense of Community

HIppie Bowman cuddles at Hippiestock with friends.

🌼 Stay Connected with Hippiestock

Hippiestock in Second Life returns every January, but you can follow its news, photographs, history, and upcoming plans throughout the year.

Facebook Group: Hippiestock

Current Hippiestock Flickr Group —please add your photos.

The Archive – Original Hippiestock 2011 Flickr Group

In-world: Join the Hippiestock group in Second Life

Events: Follow the Hippiestock event Calendar.

Looking for current events, artist and musician features, photographs, and stories from past festivals?

Explore the  Hippiestock archive on Through Owl’s Eye.

Jeff Randall at HippieStock
HIppiestock Flickr Pool

Hippiestock in the Media

Over the years, Hippiestock has been photographed, filmed, and written about across the Second Life community. These stories and event listings help document the festival and the community that has grown around it.

🌼 Hippiestock in Second Life Coverage

Echt Virtuell – https://echtvirtuell.blogspot.com/2018/01/hippiestock-2018-am-27-januar-ab-18-uhr.html

The Forums – Hippies talks about Hippiestock 2017

The Forums – Hippiestock 2015

The Forums – HIppiestock 2014

The Alpha Herald – 2011 – Hippiestock and the Sense of Community

🎥 Video

🕊️ Community & History

These outside stories are only part of Hippiestock’s history. Photographs, memories, old event announcements, and stories from the people who were there continue to document how the gathering has changed through the years.

✨ About the Hippiestock Stewards

Hippiestock continues through the work and creativity of many musicians, DJs, artists, photographers, builders, and visitors who return every January.

Owl Dragonash and Ceakay Ballyhoo coordinate and steward the festival, but its spirit belongs to the community that gathers there.

Hippiestock returns in January 2027.

Come for the music and art. Wander around. Meet somebody. Stay awhile.

We hope to see you there. ✌️🧡🎵