People from all around the world made their way to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts last week, for the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival. The Bethel Woods amphitheatre sits on the same land of the original festival (but not the original stage area), acres that were once owned by Max Yasgur, the farmer that rented his property to the festival’s promoters after their original in Woodstock NY (about an hour away from Bethel) fell through.

While I didn’t go to the anniversary concert last week, I did go to Yasgur’s Farm (the one Joni and CSN sang about) where I met Billy Vine, the man who helped take care of the artists in the concert’s staging area, the man who greeted Janis Joplin and all the others when they got off the helicopter which landed right next to Yasgur’s house; the house that he now lives in and watches over. His story spans beyond just those three days of peace and love, his personal story is the story of the Catskills, and all the legendary entertainers that went through the Borsht Belt. He was also working at the Concord hotel at the time of the festival, but I tried to get him to talk a little about what went down at Yasgur’s farm. I also took a few photos while I was there. Look for the link to the video clip below.

(Yasgur’s barn at the farm)


(without getting into who owns the property, some of the Yasgur family still live in a large house near the barn, but this plaque marks the last square foot that will always belong to the the Yasgur family.)

(This is the original house that the Yasgur family lived in, that the rock stars hung out in when not on stage or in need of a home meal or a shower, and where Billy Vine lives today.)

And meet the wonderful Billy Vine via this link below:
WOODSTOCK BILLY VINE at YASGURS FARM

Afterwards we drove down Hurd Road and stopped nearby the original concert area, where they have some commemorative plaques and signage.




(The stage was where you see that gray gravel now)

(go back to back in the day)

Tags: Bethel NY, CSN&Y, Daniel Siwek's Blog, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Route 17B, Woodstock Festival, Yasgur's Farm

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