We are still shocked that it took place! Let us tell you what it was like
Hi! We're the guys from New York who organized the legendary Woodstock.
4 young entrepreneurs were preparing a music festival for 50,000 people. But they did not expect that there would be 10 times more people willing to attend.
Artie Kornfeld, Michael Lang, John P. Roberts, Joel Rosenman
official poster
In the summer of 1969 there were gossips of a forthcoming open-air concert to the north of New York
everything that could go wrong has gone wrong
At that moment, almost all tickets for the festival were already sold out. The organizers were in a panic trying to find a suitable venue. After a long search they succeeded!
The small town of Woodstock, New York, was chosen as the place for the festival. However, some time after the construction of the stage and fences began, local residents objected.
Max Jasgur, a farmer, offered 6 hectares of land. The land was shaped like a bowl sloping down to the pond. It seemed like the perfect place for an open-air concert.
Frightened by the upcoming crowds of young people and the unpredictable consequences of such rock concerts, the local authorities banned the festival in their city. `Woodstock` was on the verge of being canceled.
Max Jasgur & his wife
MUSIC
LOVE
PEACE
the situation developed spontaneously, because no one knew how many tickets were actually sold
People started arriving at the festival a week before it started. Most people travelled without tickets.
we were told we were a threat to society, to public health, to everything in the world
Meanwhile, the government was seriously concerned about the situation around Woodstock. News reports described the lack of water, food, unsanitary conditions at the place, and the inability to provide medical care. The governor was about to send in the National Guard. Concerned parents called on the radio.
There were kilometers-long traffic jams on the roads. People started camping right at the entrance to the festival. The most desperate people climbed through the fences and got inside bypassing the ticket booth.
The example was contagious and, as a result, most people got inside free of charge. The organizers accepted the fact that this crowd could not be stopped. So the festival became free of charge for everyone.
tens of thousands of people wanting to go to Woodstock
we got there by various ways. It was fun
Why did tens of thousands of people travel from all over the country to Woodstock?
The audience enjoyed their favorite music and sang along to their idols, and for many artists, performing at Woodstock was the peak of their careers.
who was invited but couldn`t come: the Doors, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Боб Дилан, Chicago, Jony Mitchell and others.
Woodstock '69 featured one of the most prolific musical lineups in history including such icons as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Santana, and The Who. Fans got a taste of a variety of music styles which came together in perfect harmony.
Jimi Hendrix
Jefferson Airplane
Janis Joplin
Joe Cocker
the Who
for the music!
Jimi Hendrix
Jefferson Airplane
Janis Joplin
Joe Cocker
the Who
Jimi Hendrix
Jefferson Airplane
Janis Joplin
Joe Cocker
the Who
The celebration of music did not stop even at night. it was absolutely impossible to sleep
People slept as they could: on vehicles, on towels, under trees, and simply on the ground.
how could you miss those songs under the stars?
not everyone had tents
and earplugs
As people lay there, trying to sleep, a constant, never-ending stream of people moved back and forth. All night long, without cease, their feet sloshed and stomped and slammed a few inches from someone`s heads. Some of these passers-by were disoriented.
On the third day of the festival there were problems with almost everything. in addition, it rained for almost 24 hours
Food and water ran out, medical care was in short supply, and there were giant queues to the toilet.
from the outside it looked like we were in distress. but we didn't feel that way at all
People organized themselves. They helped each other, shared clothes and food. They set up field kitchens and fed hot food to all comers.
The festival was greatly assisted by the police who dropped food, water and raincoats from helicopters. This was epic and at the same time invaluable in terms of the safety and comfort of the audience.
at Woodstock was
total unsanitary
total unsanitary
but people felt
perfectly happy
perfectly happy
4 days of the festival have come to an end. half a million people have spent this time in unity and harmony
I've never seen so many people at once. It was epic
according to unconfirmed reports
two babies were born at Woodstock
two babies were born at Woodstock
Though several hundred thousand people experienced the Woodstock festival firsthand, the idea of Woodstock greatly impacted the lives of millions of others. Many Americans came to know the festival through news coverage, stories from friends who made the trek, and through Woodstock, the festival’s wildly successful,
It was not just a musical event of the era, but also an important historical manifesto of that generation. Many young Americans expressed their affinity for the values they associated with Woodstock by purchasing records and movie and concert tickets; wearing T-shirts; and hanging posters on their walls.
we wanted answers. we were looking for people who felt the same way we did.
The greatest freedom is when you can be yourself and know that no one will judge you for it.
By 1969, it seemed that we were finally winning this culture war with the establishment. young people were challenging the social fabric. especially since the Vietnam War had affected everyone.
We found answers in music. it was music that brought together like-minded young people who dreamed of freedom and change.
a year after the festival, an Oscar-winning documentary was released
"Woodstock. Three days of peace and music" 3 hours of unique footage chronicling the festival.
After the festival, Joel, Artie, Michael, and John were not basking on the waves of fame and success, but were counting their debts. They had nearly $ 1.7 million to pay for the many lawsuits that had been filed over the staging and organization of Woodstock.
Fortunately, the film about the festival, released a year later, not only covered all expenses, but also received rave reviews from critics and won the coveted Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.
thanks to Oscar, we were able to pay off all our debts.
Woodstock was a sensation at the time. It was the beginning of the sexual revolution and the end of the "hippie era."
when you talk to people who've been there, they're enthusiastic as if they're recounting a mystical event.
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