Alex Carson
Woodstock
Woodstock, a three-day music festival held on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, beginning on August 15, 1969. It is was one of the most iconic music events of all time. There were 32 performances, and nearly 500,000 vans showed up. Here are some photos of just how crazy it got at Woodstock.
Arts and Crafts
Woodstock was actually called The Woodstock Music & Art Fair festival. It was meant to be a place for creativity, art, and self-expression. The woman in this photo sat down in the grass to weave leather-tasseled tapestry. Whether she handed them out or sold them is unknown.
Peace and Bubbles
Many people hung out at Woodstock with a partner or a group. Others chose to hang out alone, like this woman, Jackie Barg. Rather than hanging out with others, she chose to sit alone and blow bubbles, while waiting for the next performer to come on stage.
Food For Love
Sharing was one of the philosophies that the festival stood for. People shared food, water, and clothing with complete strangers. The photo of this woman preparing food for the Woodstock community captures the feeling of unity.
Taking a Nap
Because of the massive turnout at Woodstock, there were major traffic jams on the way to Max Yasgur’s dairy farm where the festival was held. Many people, like this woman, slept right on their cars. Others built tents and shelters to get some rest. As space in the area started running out, people had to sleep in their vehicles.
Rockin’ With Jimmy Hendrix
Jimmy Hendrix was the last to perform, and due to rain delays, the crowd had dwindled down to about 30,000. His two-hour performance has gone down in history as the defining moment of the 60′. He was also the highest-paid performer at the festival, earning $18,000 for his performance.
Poster Children For Woodstock
This iconic photo of Bobbi Kelly and her then-boyfriend, Nick Ergoline made them the poster children for Woodstock. The couple was wrapped in a blanket, hugging with the sun rising in the background.
Letting It Flow
These two women are dancing and swaying to the beat without a care in the world. Carefree love and peace was the theme of Woodstock, which is why this photo is so iconic.
Janice Joplin
Janis Joplin was set to perform on the second day of the festival. She had no idea what it was going to be and had no idea that she was one of the biggest names to perform. After telling her band that it would be just another gig, she was shocked to see a crowd of 500,000. After her performance, she stayed until the end of the festival.
Gypsy Souls
Free-spirited people traveled to Woodstock in drones, and many were very spiritual. Here is a photo of a woman in a bohemian dress reading a girl’s palm with a deck of tarot cards close by.
Famous People
Woodstock gained so much momentum that there were many famous faces in the crowd. Here is a photo of German actress and model, Veruschka von Lehndorff. Like most of the people in the crowd, she had a great time.
Flower Child
Anyone was welcome at Woodstock, even children. The iconic photo of this little girl shows how much fun the festival was for people of all ages. Not only were there children at the festival, but there were a few Woodstock births. One baby was born in a car stuck in a traffic jam; one the other was born in the hospital after the mother was airlifted to the hospital.
Tie-Dye
Tie-dye was the fashion trend of the 60s, so it made sense that people set up stands to sell the shirts that they made.
Whimsical Street Signs
There were plenty of paths to follow at Woodstock, and they were marked by whimsical street signs. “Groovy Way” and “The Gentle Path High Way” were perfect names.
Making Their Own Music
When there was a break between acts, festival-goers made their own music. This woman playing the flute and this man playing the drum show how there was love and partying at every angle during the festival.
Express Yourself
Everyone at Woodstock felt comfortable being themselves and showing off their personal styles. With her floppy hat, headpiece, bold face makeup, and beaded jewelry, she is a prime example of what the style at Woodstock was all about. If your style reflected who you were, you fit in no matter what.
Praying For Rain
Woodstock was held in August, which is one of the hottest months of the year in New York. These concert-goers were hot and needed to be cooled off, so they did a rain dance. It must have worked because torrential rains came down on and off during the festival. It also created a serious mud situation.
Daisies
Daisies were the flower of the 60s, which is why the photo of this woman holding a daisy is perfect.
Psychedelic Vans
Before heading to Woodstock, many people painted their vans with psychedelic designs. This photo just screams, “Woodstock.”
The Owners Of the Farm
Woodstock was held at Max Yasgur’s 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskill Mountains of New York. He offered his farm for the festival and even got on stage to say hello to the crowd. Not everyone was happy about him hosting the event. His neighbors were angry, and he wasn’t welcome at the town’s general store. Some of his neighbors sued him for property damage. He died four years after Woodstock, and he was the only non-musician to ever have a full-page obituary in Rolling Stone magazine.
Getting a Quick Drink
Because Woodstock was held on a diary farm, there were plenty of cows around. A group of thirsty men milked a cow on the side of the road to quench their thirst.
