…Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair

The flower crown remains a classic and serves as the best companion to attend a festival event today. A crown made up of freshly plucked flowers adds up to the charm and completes the overall look. The love for nature and accessories extracted from it can naturally beautify her, and that is precisely what’s on display.

Tiaras are usually worn by queens and women who win beauty pageants. Hence, the girl seen in the image shall not wait to participate in a pageant and be the queen of her world at this moment.  However, the flower species could not be figured out.

All Set to Raid the World

The loose flowing hair in these pictures is symbolic of the liberty and freedom that the youngsters experienced in the 60s. In the candid photo, the girls seem interrupted in the middle of their bike ride to pose for an image.

It was young people like these who filled the playground of the Woodstock event as the event is known for charging no entry fees. The bike enthusiast girls and many more like them contributed to flocking the event. The idea of the event was to earn money initially, but when the grounds were flooded with people, the event was made entirely free.

Music that Left Them All Smiling

Woodstock was primarily a musical event and had attracted an audience of 400,000. Thirty-two acts were performed even after sporadic rain. Pictured here are members of the band Jefferson Airplane, with singer Grace Slick in the center dressed in white.

It seems like their music had an essence of comedy and sarcasm that left the viewers in splits. The smiles on each of their faces are evident that the event was a success story in delivering what it wanted “peace and music” .Long hair also seems to be an everyday hairstyle in the 60s. Almost everyone seems to embrace those dreads.

Draped in All Leather

What took place 52 years ago still seems classic as it had registered itself in history. The festival site is now home to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which hosts concerts all year round.

The girl in the picture is seen wearing a leather top with a headband that also seems to be leather. Her shoulder band appears to be carved out of wood. Leather is the current fetish for all the fashion influencers, not only for bags but also for apparel. But the image clearly shows that it is a vintage concept that is being redone.

Boarding the Bus

Even after the massive substance consumption openly, there were no arrests made. The festival glorified all the teenage and youngsters-related stigmas in the most fantastic way possible. The people in the image have climbed up the roof of the bus to witness the fair.

The occupants consist of couples and solos who were sitting and enjoying the show unfolding in front of them. Also, the flowers and the butterflies painted on the roof appear to be custom-made to match the event’s vibe. It seems like all the men decided unanimously to let go of their top wears as most of these can be seen bare-chested.

Need Some Space

The event managers did not expect the event to be so massive. It was believed that they would be able to manage in the given space. However, the event became a magnum opus, and people occupied wherever and whatever they found to sit. Also, with a massive crowd like this comes a shortage of food, water, and medical supplies. In addition, there were scarce bathrooms.

While the attendees managed to keep up with the ambiance, the aftermath had images of littered streets and roads. There was a nuisance created on the main roads, and the traffic was blocked. Well, whatever it may be, the event will always be remembered as a success story.

Keeping it Candid

After the event caught pace and limelight, its coverage became important. The event’s significance was reinforced in a 1970 American documentary titled Woodstock, receiving the Academy Award for best documentary feature. The film was also screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

The subject in the picture made it to the documentary, proving that she is being directed by someone to follow a set of instructions to get her involved in the event recorded. The documentary is one of the only recorded pieces of evidence of this massive fair. Amongst the 32 performers at the event, only a handful was featured in the documentary.

The Event was Jam-Packed

The image is an accurate depiction of the kind of event that it was. The event made all the people happy and made them forget the hardships that the time had on the platter. In short, the party never stopped at Woodstock, with music going on all day and night for the entirety of the festival.

Strangers bumping into each other and relishing the event together was a common visual there. There were also people from the elder age groups who manifested their presence at the event. The flock of crowds was rushing towards the venue to hear the rock and roll.

Non-Entertained Camping

The event venue became a temporary refuge for the attendees as they chose to pitch their tent on the venue itself rather than going back. This was never the plan and was not something that the organizers predicted. Bethel created a massive traffic jam. Routes were being diverted. Announcements were made on radio and televisions that helped to stop more people from reaching the venue.

The field where the Woodstock fair happened has initially been a dairy farm. The contract with the festival organizers stated that he would be paid $10,000 to use the land. Unfortunately, the damages to the property cost him more than $50,000.

Happy Ending!

It can be derived from the picture that space was a significant issue at the Woodstock Fair. People adjusted themselves wherever they could. Michael Lang, Artie Kornfeld and John. P. Roberts, the three main organizers, initially estimated their total expenses to be around $750,000. But, by the end of the festival, they ended up spending $2.5 million.

In 2017, the event site became listed on the National Register Of Historic Places. The event had crowds flowing from all walks of life to glimpse their favorite performers. Amongst the chaos, the guests managed to have fun with the August heat and intermittent showers.

Bird’s Eye View of the Crowd

Numerous photographers and filmmakers appeared at the venue once the event was announced to be a blockbuster. One such photographer from the LIFE magazine by the name of John Dominis stated that he had a great time at the event. Although the event had people younger than him, he still felt like their peer. The image may be in grayscale, but it indeed was a colorful event.

The image may appear a bit chaotic, but the reality was that the event was remarkably peaceful. Although substances were being consumed, very few fatalities were recorded which were quickly resolved.

Managed to Feed 400,000 People

Indeed, the task of feeding more than 400,000 people sounds like a nightmare when the arrangements were made only to serve a crowd of 200,000. The queues for food were long, and the supply was less. People went on to burn two of the concession stands as they were angry and starving.

The situation was later combated with people pouring in food donations that got airlifted to the venue. The food included 10,000 sandwiches, water, fruits, and tetra-packed goods. There were volunteers from the crowd itself who served the food to keep the event flow intact. Reportedly, no one starved during the event.

A Huge Success for the Founders

These four men handled Woodstock right from its inception. There were management flaws and an unruly crowd, but they kept their bond and strategies strong to face every possible difficulty. There were food, medical supply, and traffic-related issues but what went non disrupted was the musical performances and the 24-hour live music.

The event’s core was so lively that people forgot all the hardships involved in between those three days. Joel Rosenman, John. P. Roberts, Artie Kornfeld, and Michael Lang are the names of the boys who made history with this three-day fair that took place after many planning changes.

The Owners of the Land

The ground where the event took place was originally a dairy farm spread across 600-acre of land owned by an American farmer Max Yasgur and his wife. On the third day of the event, Max addressed the crowd saying, “If we join them, we can turn those adversities that are the problems of America today into a hope for a brighter and more peaceful future,”

Yasgur was amongst those individuals who motivated the crowd, and the spectators cheered his speeches immensely. After the event, Yasgur received the love of the attendees in the form of gifts, flowers, and letters to allow the farm’s use.

A Red Alert for Health Provisions

The parents and grandparents were infuriated after they saw their children eating from trash cans. The food that they consumed was raw chopped vegetables and leftovers. This food is something that no one deserves, even if they were under the influence of substances.

The girl in the image seems to hide her face from the camera intentionally or unintentionally; still, the picture appears disturbing. The health department was all set to take in cases of food poisoning as the aftermath of the event resulted in substance overdose cases. Moreover, the place was never given back for the revival of the festival.

The Event was More than Just the Music

The Vietnam War and the political unrest in the U.S. had already kept the Americans engaged and stressed. The event came as a sigh of relief and as a hope for a better and secure future. After a point, people started using their clothes to cover themselves at night. Leaving after the end of a day and returning the following day was difficult and nearly impossible.

The unpreparedness came as an alarm not only for the organizers but also for the entire city. Racial discrimination was at its peak in the U.S. Still; people made their way to the gathering.

Hunger or Blazing Sun, What’s More Painful?

Everything was laid in such a haphazard manner that tracking down things, especially supplies, became an issue. There were no queues, uncertain walking, no seating pattern, and of course, no cell phones. All these things added up to the human mess that made it impossible to make your way back to where you were.

Insanity here could mean a lack of food and accommodation. People were forced to pitch their tents in the field itself as going out was not the option because the roads were all jammed due to the ingress of people into the festival. Despite all the announcements, people were not refraining from reaching the venue.

Kids Were Tagged Along

Well, an event mentioned in its description that it’s going to house thousands of substance consumers. How on earth does it manage to allow children to enter? The ambiance was not suitable for children. Even though the picture depicts them enjoying themselves, just their presence in the event is horrifying.

Additionally, the lack of food and medical supplies and a crowd can convert into a stampede at any time. There were not enough toilets, and the rain never stopped making the field all wet and muddy, implying that defecating was not a difficult thing as nobody could figure out the difference between mud and…

Locals were Bothered for Almost a Week

Most of the performers arrived at the festival via helicopters as the road leading to Bethel, and the venue’s surrounding area covered cars, mini trucks, and buses. The attendees arrived five days before the concert began.

Hundreds of Volkswagen buses occupied the roads and were parked there only until the culmination of the event. The locals, especially the elderly, were adversely affected by this as they could not commute or go out for work. After the event began, there were several announcements on radio and television not to attend the festival anymore as it had already surpassed its expected strength.

A Highly-Acclaimed Documentary

The 1970 documentary Woodstock that was shot during the festival remains one of the very few testimonies of the massive event. The flick was directed by Michael Wadleigh and was edited by seven editors including Martin Scorsese. The image is from the making of the film, and the young Martin Scorsese can be seen on the extreme right wearing a headset.

Soon after its release, the film traveled to almost all the major film festivals and received an Oscar Award for best documentary feature. Woodstock also went to the Cannes Film Festival but was screened there and could not enter the competition.

Woodstock Cannot Be Replicated

The massive success of the 1969 event generated curiosity amongst all the potential organizers, and they tried to create the same magic with their event ideas. Some organizers had gone on to the extent of approaching Max Yasgur for the same venue by sending him gifts and letters, but Max never gave his land ever again for any event.

In 1979, 1989, and 1999 several attempts were made to recreate the magical event, but no event could create that effect. The 1999 festival ended in disaster as riots and violence invoked, leading to people blazing containers and concession stands.

Not for War, But for Peace

The smile on their face is a sigh of relief for all the guests at the event. They are amongst those who made sure that the peaceful event did not end in starvation. The food supplies were airlifted to the fair venue, and volunteers like them had taken up the responsibility to carry food, water, and essentials.

The festival’s mood was anti-war, but the situation that arose was war-like as it had people stuck at one place waiting for a meal. While they were distributing food, chaos occurred, leading to an announcer addressing the crowd saying, “They are with us, man, they are not against us,”

Iron Butterfly Could Not Make It

The girl holding herself against the man is all broken; she could either be a performer or an admirer waiting for her performer to arrive. Numerous singers and bands were unable to make it to the final event. The bands included Jeff Beck Group and Iron Butterfly, who were stuck at the airport.

It seems like the subjects of the image are fans of the Iron Butterfly band, as the butterfly in the background could be their  stage logo. Even after last moment changes and withdrawal from participation, the event did not lack performances and performers.

Last But Not the Least

Jimi Hendrix was the last to perform at the festival due to the delays caused by the rainfall. His popularity was such that his spectators rose to 450,000, but many people left in the middle of his performance, reducing the numbers to 30,000.

Jimi Hendrix and his new band Gypsy Sun and Rainbows were introduced at the event. The band performed a two-hour set and also got incorporated into the 1970 documentary film Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix remains a classical musician in American history and an influential electric guitarist. His stardom was such that at one point, he was the highest-paid performer in the world.

Swanky Stars in Swanky Cars

The festival was the first of its kind in the history of the United States. So it was essential to secure all the best and most popular performers. And to do so, massive amounts were paid to top-notch performers. The bands and solo performers demanded whopping amounts from the organizers, and the payment had to be paid in cash as the organizers were relatively new.

As there were no vanity vans in those days, the car’s boot could only accommodate talent until they hit the stage. Two of the most highly paid performers include Jimi Hendrix and members of the Jefferson Airplane.

A sea of humans

If you drop something highly crucial in this crowd, will you be able to find it? The picture can also be viewed with two perspectives: how much the swarm of people is enjoying the ongoing show, and second, the mismanagement of the event with improper seating positions and lack of space. However, the former is more exciting as it matches the vibe of the event.

The field where the event happened looked like a mini country as the boundaries beyond this field had all the unrest and plight. People could have a breath of fresh air even in this chaotic mess.

“Jam” session in the traffic

The scenario on the roads was no different than what was happening inside the fair. The long queues of cars and all sorts of vehicles were waiting restlessly to escape. However, some music enthusiasts in the long traffic jam took up the initiative to entertain the riders of the parked automobiles.

A lot of people left their houses in the hope of reaching the venue but got stuck midway. People went their vehicles on the road and preferred walking to the ground following the sounds of music and cheers from there, and the ones who remained made the boot of their cars the performing stage.

Young and Dedicated Martin

Martin Scorsese is a renowned director and screenwriter who has given us films like The Aviator, Silence, Shutter Island, and many more. He was also a part of the award-winning documentary Woodstock where he assisted and edited along with six editors.

The documentary went to several film festivals and bagged numerous awards and global recognition. The film remains one of the best documentary features in cinematic history. Martin can be seen on the right side of the image wearing a headset. The documentary is also a recipient of the Academy Award and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

VW Buses Became a Temporary Refuge

Those who attended the event in small cars had been out of luck compared to those with a minibus or a van. The roofs of the vans served a great view and a perfect place to sit as there were no dedicated spaces provided to sit. The area seemed to be the only issue in the event, and to combat that, all the gaps were filled, and there was not even space to move.

The vans became temporary accommodations to house thousands of people, and they had no reason to move until the last note of the festival was played.

Not a Filler Performance

The performers were responsible for all the rock and roll, but guitarists like him who voluntarily took up the initiative to entertain also got a fair chance to perform at the event. The guy in the image seems to be sitting on a treehouse and playing something musical but cannot get all the attention.

He seems to be enjoying his session, and who knows that he gets his fanbase by the end of the festival. The guy is beating the heat, keeping the event alive with unkempt hair, beard, and a bare chest. Also the natural rain showers kept all the guests clean.

Happy Street Will Keep You Happy No Matter What

The festival was all about peace, love, and happiness. There is also a place in the New York upstate by the name of Happy AV, as shown in the image. The street was very close to the venue, and locals could walk back home to eat their meals and go back to the festival after getting some rest.

The street was also surrounded by cars and was all blocked. But, this is not the case for pedestrians. The people in the image could not reach the venue and look relatively tidy than inside. Also, they seem all dressed up.

Feet Up With Them

We have all sorts of stereotypes when it comes to describing people who are related to substance consumption. Untidy, unhygienic, and unkempt are some synonyms that can define their personality in one word. But not at Woodstock, thanks to a water pump nearby that enabled them to rinse off their face and feet time and again.

Even after walking barefoot and bare body for the entirety of the event, they managed to keep clean; the water shortage was also curtailed by drinking this water. The attendees never really got the chance to get bored as they kept themselves engrossed with filler games in between.

The Morning Workout

Music, substance, and good vibes are enough to keep them moving. Well, it could be all three things or nothing at all. The position that looks like a yoga session is a piece of dance that interprets something, maybe a dance that involves role-playing.

Activities like these kept the guests busy and allowed them to forget and forgive the unpreparedness of the event. The people behind these performers are not looking at them; maybe a performance is going on, and they decided to shake a leg on their music. Usually, in a dance routine like this, one plays the controller and the other the control.

Could You Pass the Doobie, Please?

The smile on the face of this beautiful woman is not ordinary; had she been smoking something normal, she would have been less overwhelmed, but that pipe-like thing in her hand looks custom-made. As if things according to the individual preferences have been rolled in there.

There were 742 reported cases of substance overdose. Dreads were associated with people who consumed drugs, but the girl holding the smoke pipe seems to embrace her dreads and break the stereotype. The other girl looks wholly occupied in the performance that is being unfolded in front of her. The event left a big smile on the faces of almost all the attendees.

For a Better View

Flamboyant can be associated with the girl and majorly with the event. The event also caught attraction from across the globe, and so is the girl in the image. Not only the girl but the crowd in the picture are seen engrossed in one tune. Maybe they see a performance unfold.

With top-notch performers and mega stars from the music industry, it was expected that the fans would go gaga to have a glimpse of their favorite stars. The girl in the picture is sitting on someone’s shoulder, and her hands are raised, depicting victory or peace that was precisely the core of the event.

Not a Festival Without Food

This image can be viewed from two perspectives; first, there was food available as the people in the image patiently waited in a queue for their turn. Second, the food was limited, and there was a set quantity for everyone.

Well, after looking at this picture, the former seems to be the case. After it was announced that there was a food shortage, several food donations were made to deal with the situation. Maybe, the image was clicked after enough food had arrived. Also, there were no reports of starvation from the event. What is being served is not known, but at least something is being done.

The Energy Can Beat the Rain

Rain was something that remained constant throughout the event. The uncertain pourings kept the field muddy and wet, but it did not stop the people from enjoying the event. The rain was also a sigh of relief from the blazing sun and worked as a natural shower for the guests.

But when the rain decided to obstruct the flow of the event by pouring with full intensity,

plastic sheets saved the guests, but the show went on. The guests covered themselves up with huge sheets and accommodated more people if they had room for more. The generosity and the sharing of commodities kept the spirit alive.