By Maxim Alter
The Many Concerts of Woodstock 1969 1969
AUGUST 15-17
Woodstock Music and Art Fair
1979
Photo courtesy of Maxim Alter
• Billed as an “Aquarian Exposition,” this concert changed the history of the hippie movement and was a seminal event in U.S. 1979 pop culture.
SEPTEMBER 7
Woodstock Reunion 1979 • In celebration of the original concert’s 10year anniversary, this event was held in Parr 1989Meadows, Ridge, N.Y.
1989
AUGUST 15-17
• This event, which was attended by over 30,000 people, took place on 1994the site of the original concert in celebration of its 20-year anniversary.
1994
AUGUST 12-14 Woodstock 1994
• This concert was organized in celebration of the 25th anniversary on a large field in Saugerties, N.Y. It was attended by over 350,000 people.
1999
JULY 23-25 Woodstock 1999
• This time, stationed in Rome, N.Y., the concert was attended by over 200,000 people and was covered by cable news networks such as MTV.
2009
AUGUST 15
Woodstock 2009
• Veterans from the original concert performed at Bethel Woods Music Festival for the 40-year anniversary. Jefferson Starship opened.
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Source:Timeline.com
Woodstock 1989
Locals and tourists of Woodstock, N.Y. participate in the town’s “Drum for World Peace” circle, Sunday, Oct. 11.
Alive and Kicking
The 40th anniversary of the famous concert has come and gone, but what gives Woodstock such a booming culture and why do tourists keep on coming?
T
hese days, telling someone you live in Woodstock, N.Y. is a great conversation starter. So many people see Woodstock as a sort of utopia of hippies and music. They picture the same Woodstock from 1969, when the famous Woodstock Music Festival took place. What a lot of people don’t realize is that those famous three days of “peace and music” didn’t actually take place in Woodstock because of permit and capacity issues. The festival really took place on a dairy farm near the suburb of White Lake in the town of Bethel, N.Y. So, if the Woodstock Music Festival wasn’t actually in Woodstock, what is it that makes the area so special, and why do so many tourists travel to this small town in upstate New York? Every Sunday, people gather in the town’s center to enjoy what is known as the “Drum for World Peace” circle. Everyone is invited to sit down and pound away at a variety of drums and percussion instruments. Hundreds attend this simple, yet entertaining gathering every week. Tourists travel from all over, not just locally, but from out of state. Jon Marsh, 18, a student from Arcadia University
in Pennsylvania, traveled all the way to inhabitants. Woodstock with his sister just so they “Even before the big concert in 1969, could take in the town’s unique culture Woodstock was the place for artists, musiand carefree atmosphere. cians, and writers,” he said. “So many fa“This town is just so much fun,” he mous people have lived here and still do. said. “What other community gathers ev- Jimmy Hendrix, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, ery week to play drums? Everyone here is and Van Morrison all lived here. Steve Busso friendly and the vibe is so free. I would cemi, and Uma Thurman live here.” come here every week if I could.” As he pointed at the top floor of an The Arts and Crafts Movement, which old house in the town’s center he said, came to Woodstock in 1902, helped shape “Bob Dylan wrote songs right in that the town into an acbuilding!” tive artist colony. This “Everyone here is so Woodstock is a movement led to the place of activism and friendly and the vibe creation of the Mavprotest as well. Everick Art Colony of is so free. I would ery Sunday, a group Woodstock, which come here every week of women in their held the Maverick Fesmid to late 70s stand tival until 1931. Dur- if I could.” in the town’s center, ing this festival, hun—Jon Marsh, 18, dressed entirely in dreds of people would black, and hold up a Pennsylvania Student banner with the word gather in the town for music, art, and “Peace” written in big theatre. It was this reputation as an arts bold letters. center that would contribute to the 1969 On a pamphlet they hand out to pefestival’s organizers and promoters plan- destrians, they describe themselves as ning their concert around the town. “Women in Black: an international moveAccording to local resident Mark Imbi- ment of women for peace” They stand erowic, 44, Woodstock is famous not just together every week to protest many pofor its history, but also for its celebrity litical topics, including the conflict in Iraq.
WOMEN IN BLACK
We stand for peaceful resolution of conflict. We also stand in opposition to human rights abuses, the erosion of our civil liberties, profiling and discrimination based on ethnicity or religion, and intolerance and oppression in all its forms.” —Women in Black pamphlet
Photo courtesy of Maxim Alter
WHAT THEY’RE ALL ABOUT
• Woodstock’s Women in Black have been standing on the Village Green with other peace groups weekly since June 2001. According to their pamphlet, they wear black as a symbol of mourning for all the victims of war and violence. They use only non-violent forms of action to show their protest. The Women in Black are a mixture of many ethnic and national backgrounds and have held conferences in locations around the globe.
The Women in Black stand in the town center of Woodstock, N.Y. to protest violence and war on Sunday Oct. 25. 11.22.09 MAXIM WEEKLY
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Photos courtesy of Maxim Alter
‘Grandpa Woodstock’ and wife, ‘Grandma Woodstock’ greet tourists at the “Drum for World Peace” circle in Woodstock, N.Y. on Sunday, Oct. 11.
One older man, known simply as Grandpa Woodstock, roams the streets every day with a cane in one hand and a large horn in the other. Dressed in a large colorful gown, similar to a woman’s garment, he stops in the town center and holds up his fingers in the peace symbol. Whenever a car stops or a passerby gives him the peace sign back, he honks his horn. He does this to encourage peace. “I will spread peace and love forever,” he said. “That is what I was put on this earth to do and that is what I will do till the end.” Grandpa Woodstock has become very popular among tourists. He received his nickname from the people of the town and has become somewhat of an icon. “I’ve lived everywhere,” he said. “Woodstock is the only place I call home.” 85 Mill Hill Road Woodstock, N.Y. 12498 845-679-5300 If you have a craving for delicious French food, Violette is exactly what you’re looking for and is a real gem amongst the fine cuisine in town. 295 Tinker St. Woodstock, N.Y.
‘Grandpa Woodstock’ spreads peace among the Woodstock, N.Y. public in the Town Center on Sunday, Oct. 11.
845-679-5533 51 Tinker St. Woodstock, N.Y. For more than 30 years, Joshua’s has provided Woodstock with high quality, healthy food at a palatable price. Their innovative recipes will dazzle your taste buds.
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Source: www.woodstock-inn-ny.com/dining.html
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845-246-0900 1411 Rt 212 Saugerties N.Y. 12477 Featuring a global bistro menu based on lustily spiced home cooking from around the world, New World is known for their big flavors and great atmosphere.
BEST DINING
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Around fall, Woodstock becomes very crowded. The Woodstock Film Festival, established in 1999, is a key gathering of many powerful figures in the film industry. For about a week every year in September, hundreds of film industry professionals and celebrities venture to upstate New York for what used to be a tiny festival held in a converted BF2 airplane hangar. The festival is now talked about and reported on throughout the world. Meira Blaustein, cofounder of the Woodstock Film Festival, has noticed the town’s growing popularity through the festival’s attendance. “Ten years ago, about 2,500 people attended the festival, and this year there were over 15,000,” she said. “Ten years ago, 200 films were submitted, and this year over 2,000 films were submitted for entry into the Festival.” Actor and director, Giancarlo Esposito (Gospel Hill, SherryBaby), who emceed the Woodstock Film Festival this year, has a special place in his heart for the town and made it clear in his opening speech. “I love it here for one reason,” Esposito said. “There are more working artists per capita in the Hudson Valley than almost anywhere in the country. There are painters, writers, dancers, directors, musicians, and actors. Woodstock is the place to be if you are a creative artist.” Press Deputy Director of the Woodstock Film Festival, Gabriel Meyers, thinks there is a good rea-
son why the festival has become so popular among the film industry. “Woodstock is a very down to earth and low key place,” he said. “Celebrities aren’t worried about paparazzi when they come here. They come here to enjoy film and take in the inspiration that Woodstock offers. Just last year, we didn’t even get cell phone service here in town. Industry representatives still came and stayed in Woodstock, knowing they couldn’t be working on their phones while they were attending the festival. That means something.”
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WOODSTOCK
FILMFESTIVAL
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WOODSTOCK
FILM FESTIVAL
James Hughes Ph.D., Associate Director of Institutional Research and Planning at Trinity College in Hartford and a moderator for a Woodstock Film Festival panel titled, “Redesigning Humanity: The New Frontier,” was very surprised by his recent visit to Woodstock. “Woodstock was a blast,” Hughes said. “I wish I could participate in an event in Woodstock more often. I had no idea Woodstock was such a hip Brigadoon. I look forward to returning to this very special place as soon as possible.” Woodstock may not have actually been the location of the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969, but it has kept the spirit of that time period alive and kicking. Attendee of the 1969 concert and Woodstock resident Bruce Alter, 60, thinks his town is very special. “The very essence and message of that concert still lives on in every shop, street, building, and citizen in Woodstock,” he said. “I have lived here for a long time and I chose to raise a family here. I used to be a tourist. This town was too good to leave.”
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