Woodstock: 50 Years of Peace, Love, & Music

Woodstock: 50 Years of Peace, Love, & Music

- 50 Years Passed, Peace Forever -

Fifty years ago, in the summer of ‘69, thousands of like-minded souls gathered for a celebration of peace, love, and music. Though the tie-dye, bell bottom, and fringe-clad free-spirits may not have known it as they were stepping off their VW buses onto the concert grounds, they were about to take part in a festival that will live on forever!

Throw on your grooviest tie-dye, some bell-bottom jeans, listen to some Janis and Jimi, and step back in time to Woodstock for this quick recount in celebration of the 50th anniversary of this magical event!


The Farm

When this festival was being conceived, the original plan was for it to take place in Wallkill, New York, but after locals panicked over the scale of the project, the event was banned. This only brought more attention to the event, which organizers originally assured would only draw 50,000 attendees. Needing a new venue for the event, promoters were introduced to dairy farmer Max Yasgur. His 600-acre farm in Bethel Woods, NY, just about 40 miles southwest of Woodstock, became the site for the historic event.

With this late change in venue leaving organizers to scramble to prepare, they had to choose between building the stage or putting up fences and ticket booths. As tens of thousands of flower children braved hours of traffic jams and flocked to the farm, the decision was made for them. Those who hadn’t paid the $18 for advance tickets got to experience the three days of music for free!


The Set

Despite sporadic rain, upwards of 400,000 mud-covered free souls moved to the music of 32 acts during the three days of the festival. Promoters had trouble booking big-names for the event until Creedence Clearwater Revival was the first band to sign in April of ’69.  Once they signed, other acts jumped on the bus.  Legends included: Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, The Who, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix- just to name a few who graced the stage. 

Joan Baez was six months pregnant during her performance, the Dead’s set was cut short after the amps on stage overloaded during "Turn On Your Love Light," and Hendrix closed the show early Monday morning with his psychedelic rendition of the "The Star-Spangled Banner" which segued into "Purple Haze."  This moment is memorialized in this awesome t-shirt featuring Jimi shredding in front of the flag.

Jimi Hendrix American Flag T Shirt


 The Poster

The peaceful white dove perched on the neck of an acoustic guitar is an iconic symbol of the festival and its everlasting impact on hippie culture. We all recognize this iconic image, but not many of us know the artist who is responsible for it. We’re sure that when artist Arnold Skolnick was approached by Woodstock Ventures with just three days and $15 to design a poster for the festival, he had no idea his simple design would become such a timeless symbol of the celebration of peace, love, and music the event represented.

His peaceful dove and guitar now grace t-shirts, tapestries, stickers, mugs and more, reminding everyone who sees it to take a second out of their chaotic lives to hold on to the harmony, love, and everlasting peace from the summer of ’69!


 

Woodstock exemplified the free love counterculture of the ’60s and '70s like no other event in history. Whether you were one of the lucky souls to be there (or a self-proclaimed flower child who wishes they could have been), those three magical days represent the peace and love which will live on in our hearts forever! 

 

SHOP OUR WOODSTOCK MERCH

 

SHOP NOWHas it been 50 years already?! Bring yourself back to Bethel Woods with this groovy tie dye poster featuring the classic dove and guitar from the original concert poster to commemorate 50 years of peace and music!

Woodstock 50th Anniversary Tie Dye Poster
HippieShop, $7.99
SHOP NOWThis paint splashed piece is perfect for the pad of a peace-loving hippie! The original Woodstock poster artwork gets a cool update on this rainbow splattered poster.

Woodstock Paint Splash Poster
HippieShop, $7.99
SHOP NOWBring it back to Bethel Woods with this tie dye celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock! The peace, love and music come to life in the gorgeous artwork by Mike DuBois which features a peaceful guitarist walking out into a field surrounded by hearts, flowers, peace signs, mushrooms, and fluttering butterflies on the front and nods to the original poster on the back of a cool indigo sky tie dye t shirt.

Woodstock Back To The Garden Tie Dye T Shirt
HippieShop, $25.95-$27.95
SHOP NOWBring it back to Bethel Woods with this t shirt celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock! The peace, love and music come to life in the gorgeous artwork by Mike DuBois which features a peaceful guitarist walking out into a field surrounded by hearts, flowers, peace signs, mushrooms, and fluttering butterflies on the front and nods to the original poster on the back of a very soft heathered blue shirt.

Woodstock Back To The Garden T Shirt
HippieShop, $22.95-$24.95
SHOP NOWFifty years ago, like minded souls gathered in Bethel Woods, NY for a celebration of music unlike any other. This one event has lived on in the hearts of those who experienced it and any self-proclaimed flower child who wishes they could have. Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of those legendary three days of peace and love with this vibrant 3D tapestry featuring the classic dove and guitar logo swirling out in every shade of the rainbow. Throw on the included 3D glasses to take this groovy tapestry to the next level!

Woodstock 50th Spiral 3D Tapestry
HippieShop, $31.99
SHOP NOWThis women's soft fitted T shirt features a distressed graphic that combines the Woodstock dove and guitar with a classic LOVE design.

Love Woodstock Women's T Shirt
HippieShop, $24.95-$26.95
SHOP NOWGet on the bus and transport yourself back to those legendary three days of peace and music with this super soft T Shirt! Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock in Bethel, NY, this T Shirt features a classic VW bus decorated with stars, flowers, peace signs, and the classic Woodstock bird.

Woodstock Bethel Bus T Shirt
HippieShop, $19.95-$21.95
SHOP NOWThis groovy color leather belt celebrates Woodstock with an American flag, the unmistakable dove on a guitar and of course plenty of peace signs. The belt reads "3 Days of Peace and Music" and "Make Love Not War."

Leather Woodstock Belt
HippieShop, $19.99
SHOP NOWReminisce those three days of peace and music with this earth toned tapestry featuring the classic dove and guitar design from the original Woodstock poster. Handcrafted in India, this 100% cotton multipurpose tapestry is the perfect companion for any flower child!

Woodstock Fractal Tapestry
HippieShop, $25.95
SHOP NOWThe original Woodstock logo was designed by Arnold Skolnick and has become an iconic piece of history. He was only given three days to create the logo and send it off to the festival and was paid a whole $15 for his work. This mug commemorates that magical time in musical history, when thousands gathered on Max Yasgur's farm in upstate New York to celebrate 3 days of Peace and Music.

Woodstock Mug
HippieShop, $9.99
SHOP NOWPeace, Love, Music - WOODSTOCK! This dimensional and reflective metal sticker features the classic Woodstock dove, guitar and slogan. Made of metal, it is extremely durable, so you can stick it on your car, laptop or any other surface you can think of!

Woodstock Metal Sticker
HippieShop, $2.99-$4.99

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