What A Day At Woodstock 1969 Was Like

Edge of Humanity Magazine

2 years ago

Man, Woodstock 1969 was the ultimate trip, a real gathering of the tribes. Picture this: hundreds of thousands of free spirits descending on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, all united by a love of music, peace, and love. It was expected to draw about 50,000 people, but by the time it all went down, there were between 400,000 and 500,000 beautiful souls grooving together. Most of the crowd was young, man, like between 18 and 30, but really, it felt like everyone who believed in the counterculture vibes made their way there from all across the States.

Sleeping at Woodstock was like crashing at the ultimate sleepover, but without the walls. People brought sleeping bags, blankets, and tents, but with so many folks, it didn’t really matter where you laid your head. Most of us ended up just lying down wherever there was space, right there under the stars or snuggled up together on the muddy fields. The rain turned the ground into a sea of mud, but it was all part of the experience, you know? We just embraced it and kept on grooving.

Eating was a whole other adventure. There were some food vendors, but they got overwhelmed pretty quick with all the hungry mouths to feed. Lines were crazy long, and sometimes the food just ran out. But in true communal spirit, we shared what we had. The Hog Farm commune was amazing; they set up free food kitchens and handed out rice and veggies to keep us all going. It was all about sharing and looking out for each other, just like a big family picnic.

Now, the bathrooms, or lack thereof, were something else. There were some portable toilets, but nowhere near enough for the massive crowd. Long lines were the norm, and let’s just say some of us got real familiar with nature. It wasn’t ideal, but we made it work with a lot of patience and humor. Despite the rough conditions, everyone kept a good vibe, laughing and joking about the whole situation.

Organizing Woodstock cost a lot more than anyone thought it would. The organizers had planned on spending about $500,000, but it ended up costing over $2.4 million. They had to pay for extra security, more food, medical care, and all sorts of stuff to keep the festival going. The stage and sound system were a big deal too. Michael Lang, Artie Kornfeld, Joel Rosenman, and John Roberts, the brains behind the festival, took a big financial hit at first, but the documentary and albums that followed eventually paid off.

For us, the festival-goers, tickets were originally $18 in advance and $24 at the gate. That’s like $140 and $190 today. But with so many people showing up, it turned into a free festival pretty quick. People just walked in, man, and the gates were practically nonexistent after the first day.

Daily Lives

To Support This Series

Please

DONATE

Trying to put on something like Woodstock today would be wild and super expensive. With inflation and all the modern costs of security, technology, and permits, you’re looking at over $50 million easy. Everything costs more now, from labor to amenities, and finding a spot to hold that many people would be a trip on its own. But the spirit of Woodstock lives on as a symbol of peace, love, and music. It was a moment in time where we all came together and proved that unity and love could change the world, even if just for a few days. Peace out.

Prompted By Joelcy Kay (Editor) “woodstock“ ChatGPT4.0