Woodstock

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Woodstock
Genre	Rock, folk, psychedelic, blues, soul
Dates	August 15–18, 1969
Location(s)	Bethel, New York, U.S.
Years active	1969
Founders	Michael Lang, Artie Kornfeld, Joel Rosenman, John P. Roberts
Attendance	400,000+

Woodstock was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, 40 miles southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York. Billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music," it attracted an audience of more than 400,000 people. The event is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in popular music history as well as a defining event for the counterculture of the 1960s.

History

The festival was conceived by four young men: Michael Lang, Artie Kornfeld, Joel Rosenman, and John P. Roberts. They originally intended to make enough money from the event to build a recording studio near the town of Woodstock, New York. After local residents opposed the idea, the festival was moved to a dairy farm in Bethel, New York.

Performances

Woodstock featured memorable performances by many of the top rock musicians of the era. Notable acts included Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Sly and the Family Stone, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Jimi Hendrix's performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is often cited as one of the greatest moments in rock history.

Cultural Impact

Woodstock is often considered the epitome of the counterculture of the 1960s. The festival exemplified the era's themes of peace, love, and music. It also highlighted the power of music as a unifying force and a form of protest. The event has been the subject of numerous documentaries, books, and films, including the 1970 documentary Woodstock, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Legacy

The legacy of Woodstock continues to influence music festivals and popular culture. The site of the original festival is now home to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which includes a museum dedicated to the history of the 1960s and the Woodstock festival. Anniversary concerts have been held to commemorate the original event, including Woodstock '94 and Woodstock '99.

See also

• List of historic rock festivals
• Counterculture of the 1960s
• Summer of Love
• Altamont Free Concert