June 30, 1979
It was San Luis Obispo County’s Woodstock only with less mud, sex, drugs or rock and roll but more politics. They estimated 20,000 would attend.
Over 30,000 people jammed Highway 1 for a combination music festival and anti-nuclear rally.
It was held on the Army airstrip behind Cuesta College almost three months to the day of the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania. With the prospect of a new nuclear power plant opening soon at Diablo Canyon tensions were high.
The seven hour rally featured Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., actor 
Mike Farrell of M*A*S*H, Daniel Ellsburg, County Supervisor Richard J. Krejsa, Friends of the Earth founder David Brower and U.C. Berkley professor John Gofman.
The singers included Bonnie Raitt, Peter Yarrow, Jesse Colin Young, Jackson Browne and Graham Nash.
Quoting the lede of the page 1 story by Carl Neiburger:
Before Edmund G. Brown Jr. was allowed to walk on state at Saturday’s anti-nuclear rally at Camp San Luis Obispo, the Democratic Governor had to assure rally organizers that he would do everything in his power to stop the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.
The five-member Abalone Alliance ‘rally collective’ had spend about an hour listening to what the governor wanted to say, discussing it with him and then- in Brown’s absence- coming to a “consensus” that he should be allowed to address the audience.
Brown told the crowd of about 30,000 people, “I’ve just decided to join your effort to deny a license to the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. I personally intend to pursue every avenue of appeal if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ignores the will of this community.”
He got a minute long standing ovation before and after the speech.
Some members of the alliance, a confederation of anti nuclear groups throughout the state, were less-than-enthusiastic.
Spokeswoman Marcy Darnovsky of Berkley quit, saying, “The Abalone Alliance was not formed to be a platform for candidates for elective office.”
Tom Hayden wasn’t allowed to speak because he hadn’t been invited to the rally and hadn’t taken a firm stand against the plant according to another Abalone Alliance spokeswoman.
At this point it was estimated that PG&E had $1.6 billion invested in the plant.
By 1982 Brown was out of office, Unit 1 opened in November 1984 and Unit 2 in August 1985.
Bonnie Raitt is returning to the county for a concert on October 5 with Cambria singer songwriter Jude Johnstone opening.
Aerial photos by Wayne Nicholls, rally photos by Tony Hertz
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Interesting that you havent gotten any comments on this one yet David, so here’s mine.
I was there that day with my wife and several of our friends. I have to admit that like the article said, I was there to learn more about it than to protest it. I worked around nuclear power for 4 years while I was in the Navy and found no cause for alarm then, but Three Mile Island raised some doubts. 29 years later I still have some, but they are about what to do with the spent fuel rods more than anything. The operating system itself has been proven to be safe however, and I think needs to be included in the overall mix of energy sources.
Joe Dunlap
Thanks for the comment Joe.
What I find interesting is it seems the only time our nation has a conversation about energy is in the wake of a crisis, like the oil shocks of the 1970′s, gas reaching $5 a gallon or the partial melt down at Three Mile Island. If we focused attention on environmentally friendly energy independence we would be a lot better off in a world of problems.
Joe is right, comments have been slow the last couple of weeks, anybody have an opinion? Perhaps I need to post something related to the Wall Street Bailout.
Hmmmmmmm
Wall Street is a long way from Higuera Street.
That crowd looks even bigger than 30,000. Nice work finding that photo.
Wow, I have been thinking about this rally lately. I moved back to Morro Bay after 26 years living in the Bay Area and Honolulu. Only yesterday, I came across a flyer for this concert, and today I happened on this page while researching information about the Morro Bay power plant. This rally was definitely a mind-blowing event. I moved away from the Central Coast not long after Diablo finally opened, partly in protest. I knew I would eventually move back here, but I’m still opposed to nuclear energy. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Hey, I am a Journalism senior at Cal Poly and I am currently making a documentary on the protests involving the Diablo Canyon power plant and the people who witnessed (or who left in opposition) through the process of its building and initial working. If you think you have any footage (video or pictures) or would be available for me to talk to you to get more information, I would really appreciate it. Shoot me an email at bscoggan@calpoly.edu.
Thanks!
Brandy
Wow, first time I’ve seen photos. I was there with my husband and child. We had been long time fans of Graham Nash and raised our kids listening to CSN. When he sang Teach Your Children, our daughter was on my husbands shoulders (she was just 6) and singing along. Afterwards Graham came and spoke with her – what a thrill. And so did Max Gail.
Are there any other photos or videos floating around? Sure would love to see some!!!
Thanks for posting this!
Thanks for posting these photos. I was there and it was such an awesome day!!! It is still relevent to what is happening today. Thanks again
Hi David,
Yeah, I was there also although the T-T didn’t article didn’t cover my appearance. If you look close at your picture, you might see me…. I had on a yellow shirt… (good luck!).
Incidentally, at the invitation of the Abalone Alliance, I was in the trailer behind the main stage where Jerry Brown agreed to use all the political clout of the Governorship available in order to oppose Diablo Canyon. I always respected him for that decision because he did what he promised he would do!
As luck would have it, Shortly thereafter, I had begun addressing that huge crowd as the only elected local public official against Diablo and I had them literally at my fingertips… they were standing up and cheering as if by command (I actually planned my speech with pauses for those cheering events!). And let me tell you that it was a thrill addressing 20,000 plus people and having them respond like that to what I was saying!
[I had an even bigger crowd (estimated at 35,000) on the steps of San Francisco City Hall (in 1980-81, I believe), sometime before the 1981 "Blockade" of Diablo Canyon].
In any event, my 1979 speech was being broadcast by the local radio station, I think KVEC(?), but Gov. Brown began his press conference (as detailed in the photo above with all the microphones on the table) about 3-4 minutes into my time on the podium and all news media stopped their coverage and everything switched from the main stage in order to catch Gov. Brown’s announcement of support. And thus, KVEC stopped broadcasting my speech on the air when it switched to cover Jerry Brown’s statement. I didn’t get any coverage in the T-T! And, except for your mention above, there’s likely no official record beyond the posters announcing me as one of the seven speakers .Of course, I still have my notes for that speech somewhere in my office. Such was life in SLO town 30+ years ago!