Wasn't Woodstock Grand

Contributor Wendi De Leon

Research on the History of Woodstock

At five pm on August 15, 1969 on a hog farm in Bethel, New York, the legendary Woodstock Music Festival became a reality. Richie Havens was the opening act with thirty-one others to follow. Those acts included the talents of the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Santana and many more performers who supported a culture of Vietnam War opposition, sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

The thought of having a “hippie” music festival first originated with four young men in their twenties determined to profit financially by building a recording studio type retreat for rock musicians to flock to. It quickly morphed into a three day rock concert for about 50,000 people. The thought was that these 50,000 would provide the monies needed to build the studio. The tickets were seven dollars for one day, thirteen dollars for two days, and eighteen dollars for three days (Rosenberg).

The original location for the Woodstock Music Festival was in Wallkill, New York. The town quickly realized that they did not want a bunch of “drugged out hippies” invading their town so they refused to sell tickets, etc., in an effort to ban the concert. They were successful in their efforts and panic soon set in. Luckily in mid-July, the boys in charge of setting up the concert, were able to lock in a hog farm in Bethel and the concert was a go (Rosenberg).

As the date grew closer, it was estimated that at least 200, 000 people were expected to attend Woodstock. Many people, approximately 50,000 began arriving as early as two days in advance. People walked through make-shift gates without a ticket. In some instances there weren’t any gates to control entrance into the concert area. The word soon spread that Woodstock had become a “free concert”. At five pm on August 15^th, approximately 400, 000 people were in the Bethel, New York vicinity for the concert. It is estimated that 500,000 people made it to Woodstock (Rosenberg).

Despite long waits for water and bathroom facilities, lots of sex, nudity, and mud made Woodstock a success. There was one fatality and illnesses related to malnourishment/dehydration and drug overdose were reported, but those seemed to have been overlooked as the years have passed. What is remembered is that the Woodstock Music Festival of 1969 became the icon of the 1960s hippie culture.

Rosenberg, J.. The Woodstock Festival of 1969. About.com, 20^th Century History. Retrieved from http://history1900s.about.com

Fox, S.. An Event Paper: The 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. Retrieved from http://www.unc.edu