The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, now known simply as Woodstock, was a music festival held in Bethel, New York from August 15-18, 1969 at a 600-acre dairy farm owned by an American farmer named Max B. Yasgur.
Described by promoters as “three days of peace and music,” the event attracted more than 400,000 people from across the United States and many other countries and featured performances by musical acts like Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin, Santana, Crosby, The Grateful Dead, and many others. The event, which occurred at the height of the 1960s flower power movement that valued love, peace, and freedom, became an opportunity for numerous performers and audience members to express their opposition to the Vietnam War. It would later be dubbed by Time as “the greatest peaceful man-made event in history.” Its success also inspired other outdoor music festivals and rock concerts such as The Concert for Bangladesh, organized in 1971 by George Harrison, and Live Aid in 1985.
Woodstock was the brainchild of four men: John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Michael Lang, and Artie Kornfield. Their goal was to raise money to build a recording studio in the bohemian town of Woodstock, New York. After the authorities at the towns of Woodstock and Wallkill refused to grant the four men a permit to hold the event, they decided to move the venue to Bethel, some 50 miles away.
By the weekend of the event, around 186,000 tickets had been sold and the organizers were expecting around 200,000 people to show up. In the end, nearly half a million people trooped to the venue, causing a traffic jam that stretched for miles. As more people began pushing against the gates demanding free entry, those in charge decided to start letting people in free of charge.
Heavy rain had turned the fields into a muddy mess, but the hundreds of thousands of “hippies” were unfazed. Many in the audience consumed large amounts of alcohol and drugs as some of the decade’s most popular performers rocked out on stage. The iconic rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jimi Hendrix gave one of the most memorable performances, including an epic guitar solo of the American national anthem.
Due to a large number of people at the venue, the atmosphere of the festival was described as “chaotic.” Food, water, toilet facilities, and first-aid tents were inadequate. One teenager was accidentally killed after being run over by a tractor, and another died from a drug overdose. However, episodes of violence were minimal and few people complained. Everyone was there to enjoy the music and they were determined to make the most of things, come what may.
On the 25th anniversary of the event in 1994, an outdoor concert called “Woodstock ‘94” was held in Saugerties, New York. The event, which was attended by more than 300,000 people, featured performances by some of the musicians from the original concert, as well as some newer acts like Green Day, Nine Inch Nails, and Metallica.