Almost everyone knows Woodstock as the ultimate symbol of the hippie era. However, the 1969 festival was actually a logistical nightmare that became a miracle. For instance, the organizers lost their original venue just weeks before the event. Furthermore, heavy rain turned the farm into a massive mud pit. Consequently, the stories from behind the scenes are truly wild. Therefore, prepare yourself for some mind-blowing details about this historic weekend. You will see the festival in a completely new light.
Woodstock
Woodstock did not actually happen in Woodstock, New York. Because the original town rejected it, organizers moved the festival to Bethel.
A dairy farmer named Max Yasgur saved the event. He rented his 600-acre farm to the organizers at the last minute.
Surprisingly, the festival was not supposed to be free. However, the crew could not finish the fences in time. Therefore, thousands walked in for free.
The traffic was absolutely legendary. In fact, the jams stretched for 17 miles. Consequently, performers had to arrive by helicopter.
Richie Havens opened the show for nearly three hours. He kept playing because other musicians were stuck in traffic. He even improvised the song “Freedom.”
The organizers severely underestimated the crowd size. They expected 50,000 people, but over 400,000 showed up. Thus, they ran out of food quickly.
Wavy Gravy and the Hog Farm Collective provided security. Instead of weapons, they used “fizzy water” and cream pies to keep the peace.
Woodstock became a disaster area. On Sunday, the Governor of New York almost sent in the National Guard. Fortunately, he sent food instead.
Jimi Hendrix was the highest-paid performer. He earned $18,000 for his set. In contrast, Santana earned only $750.
Hendrix played his iconic set on Monday morning. By then, most of the crowd had already gone home. Only about 30,000 people remained.
The Beatles declined the invitation. John Lennon allegedly wanted Yoko Ono to play too, but the organizers refused.
The famous logo features a bird on a guitar. Surprisingly, that bird is a catbird, not a dove.
Tragically, three people died during the festival. One death resulted from a tractor accident.
Locals were initially furious about the hippies. However, a local Jewish community center eventually made thousands of sandwiches for the starving kids.
Finally, the cleanup took a very long time. It cost $100,000 and required bulldozers to bury the massive amount of trash.
