An interesting quote from the Woodstock Music Festival

[PJMcK]

Last edited Fri Nov 16, 2018, 12:49 PM - Edit history (1)

The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is the heir to the 1969 Woodstock Festival and it's located sort-of on the same grounds. It's a great facility with top-tier performers during the summer months.

The Center has a museum dedicated to presenting the history of the Festival. It features many historical references that define the 1960s politically, socially and culturally. It details how the promoters came up with the idea, all of the problems they faced when the original venue in Woodstock, NY withdrew their permits and how the event unfolded. It's quite fantastic.

Max Yazgur was a local dairy farmer and he agreed to let the concert take place on his farm. He was a staunch conservative and an astute businessman who had very little in common with the promoters or the musical acts. He faced fierce opposition to the Festival from the local community and this is what he said:

Look, the reason you don't want them here is because you don't like what they look like. And I don't particularly like what they look like either. But that's not the point. They may be protesting the war, but thousands of American soldiers have died so they can do exactly what they're doing. That's what the essence of the country is all about.

Mr. Yazgur must have been an interesting man. Today, no one is going to hear a statement like that from a "staunch conservative."

[Achilleaze]

1. That's me, over there on the left side.

The music was great. But the main thing was The People.