Woodstock 1969| Three days of Peace and Music

Three days that defined a generation!

The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, also known as the Woodstock Festival, is one of history's most famous rock festivals. The event took place between the 15th and 18th of August 1969 on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in a small town called Bethel, in the Catskill Mountains north of New York City.

The festival started as a ticketed event; few tickets were sold, but approximately 500 000 people attended, the vast majority of whom demanded free entry. Therefore, it was later declared a free concert.

The three-day festival was not only about music but also a way of promoting peace. As the war in Vietnam raged on, the event was a mass movement that validated the youth's views on the war, civil rights, protests, and freedom. Woodstock allowed people to unwind with music while also promoting harmony and peace.

Some of the most famous artists and a diverse collection of bands from that era graced the stage of the legendary event. The concert featured 32 unforgettable musical acts. 13 were lead artists with backing bands, and 19 were group acts. Altogether, 163 musicians performed on the festival’s main stage.

Richie Havens was the first to perform at the festival; he composed a festival-inspired song called “Freedom” on the spot. He said:

Richie Havens performing at Woodstock

Originally, Havens was not scheduled to be the first performer, but due to traffic congestion, Sweetwater and all of their instruments were unable to arrive at the venue in time. So it was easier to put Richie and his two acoustic backup musicians on stage.

Joan Baez and Richie Havens performed on the first day of the concert, Friday, August 15; The Who, Janis Joplin, and Jefferson Airplane performed on the second day; and Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Sha Na Na performed on the final day. Due to several delays, Jimi Hendrix was the last one to perform at the festival on Monday, August 18, at 9:00 AM, when most of the audience had already left.

Jimi Hendrix performing last at Woodstock

Many other artists declined to perform, including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, and Bob Dylan.

Despite the insufficient facilities, the massive traffic jams, and the pouring rain that turned the area into a mud pit, the festival was a cultural phenomenon that exemplified a counter-culture generation.

A couple twisting a wet blanket

John Dominis / Getty Images

 Max Yasgur, the farm owner, addressed the audience on day three. He said:

"You’ve proven something to the world. The important thing that you’ve proven to the world is that half a million kids, and I call you kids because I have children who are older than you are half a million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music and God bless you for it!