From the article: Witness to Woodstock
You didn't have to be at the original Woodstock festival in 1969 for it to have had an impact on your life. Tell us what Woodstock meant to you. Share your memories
GUEST.
- NO SLEEP - NO FOOD - SOAKING WET. NOTHING MORE TO SAY.
- —Guest RUSTY FROM PHILLY
Coast 2 Coast
- It was the year I graduated from high school. My then boyfriend and I hitchhiked from San Diego to Bethel (in only 3 rides!). What a scene! Three days of wonderful misery - hot and cold extremes - the entire area smelled like a barn, and I wouldn't exchange one moment for ANYthing! We knew that we were the change that was going to happen, and that it was up to us to make it so. What an amazing time for our generation. Rock and roll ruled for three wonderful days!
- —Guest Kathy in CA
What it Meant to me
- Actually, I was 3 years old, when Woodstock took place. What this weekend means to me is that the generation of Hippies and babyboomers were trying to show the world; if people of all backgrounds and colors and ethnicities can and would get along. It was an Anti-war protest. These people loved one another TRULY! I think this was one of the most important portions of American History and the peace, love, and togetherness shared there.
- —Guest cynthiamcguire
Woodstock
- I was home on leave from Vietnam, I was absolutely "Blown Away" and I almost went A.W.O.L from the Army because I loved the music, freedom, and all my Hippie. radical, peers! Peace, Love, Dove!
- —Guest Ron Rawson
We Watched a Video...
- In Personal Development class, our teacher put up an old vid of Woosdstock, with music and everything. Sadly, the majority of my class fell asleep. I am ashamed.
- —Guest Student
I Wasn't There But.......
- I'm from Singapore......a long way from Woodstock ! Although we heard about it in the news, it did not have much impact on me until the double-album was released later. Since then I've been following the US rock music scene.....and that fever is still burning inside me now, 41 years later ! I like reading the experience of those who were there on this historic occasion. I think I'd probably freak out if I were to meet someone who was actually there ! Woodstock was the culmination of a tumultuous generation when the youth of the day was trying to change a world that was fraught with social injustice, war & racial discrimination. This gathering proved to the world that a half a million people could indeed live together in harmony for three days with just love & music. Its so touching to see people sharing everything they got & having fun with no thought of getting anything in return ! That spirit, sadly, can no longer be found today. That's why there will never be another Woodstock !
- —SkyRocker
Bill H
- I remember it was 1969 and I worked at a gas station in Flint Michigan,I had previously worked at pizza place with a fellow named John. He showed up at the gas station one day with a buddy driving an old volvo station wagon.It was loaded with what looked like everthing they owned.I said to John,wher are you goin man? and he said "Were goin to Woodstock man" I never heard from or saw him again. I am sure they made it!!!
- —Guest Bill H.
The true meaning of life .....
- Although I couldn't get there, a friend of mine getting ready to go to Vietnam went for just one day. He was so self-concious about his short hair not fitting in, that he decided to leave after the first day as he and a couple of other buddies couldn't quite "grok" the situation. He eventually went to 'Nam, and was exposed to agent orange which made his hair fall out, and has given him much paranoia. To this day he praises his day at Woodstock as a defining moment for him, even though it was only there a few hours. His love for the music has lasted since then, and he's still rockin' today, just as then. When I see County Joe come on to sing the "Fish Cheer" in his Army jacket it makes me think of Steve, and his awkward moment, so "gimme an F"! If you know what I mean
- —Guest alvinleefan!
zonker
- Well, I was there. I was 22 and going to Yale at the time. Working in a place called the Branford Wire Factory just outside New Haven. A friend came by and said there was a rock and roll festival going on in New York. Wanna go? Left and never got my last week's paycheck, so I guess I paid admission in a way. Never regretted it. I listened to the music. And it was excellent. All the way from Sweetwater and Richie Havens through the Who and Jeff Plane and Joe Cocker and finally to Hendrix. Wet. yeah. Cold. Yeah. But a mix of humanity with the right attitude the likes of which I have never known since. I became a PhD in anthropology, and I am certain Woodstock was instrumental in pushing me in that direction. I have heard a lot of people kind of bad-mouthing the experience on the 40th anniversary, and cannot fathom that. Not cosmic. Not the end all and be all. But serious. 600,000 people defining themselves. I am being cut off by the word limit Gods.....
- —Guest bruce Harris
Dim memories
- I was 10 years old and my 19 year old brother bought tickets for he and I and my 12 year old brother to bring us "some culture", so he told our parents. I remember being wet, cold, hungry, lost at several points. The one really clear memory I have was after the rain stopped, I was standing about half way up the hill, fruitlessly searching for my oldest brother (again). I was freezing in just shorts, a light blouse and shoes, all of which was soaked through. One young man, maybe about my brother's age, walked over to me and pulled off his fringed leather jacket and wrapped it around me. It fell just below my knees and even though it was wet, it was warm. I remember asking the man how was I supposed to find him to give his jacket back after I found my brother? He just said, "Keep it with you to remember the love never stops." Every time I look at that jacket, it brings back the one clear memory I'll cherish til I die.
- —Guest Phoenix
My parents Electra 225 on Yasgurs Farm
- Me and my two friends drove my parents new car onto Yasgurs Farm and had the best time of our lives (including the brown acid!) It was very hot on that second morning so we put our shorts on and headed out through the magic forest to the lake, when we got there everyone was naked...it was the 1st time we'd ever seen mass nudity!...so we stripped down and joined the fun. It is truly indescribable! When the Maharishi came out on stage and said something like" This is the age of Aquarius, it all begins here"...I remember looking back behind me (as we were within 300 feet of the stage) and the sea of people went over the hill and I felt at that moment like I was in the middle of something very important. Because of Woodstock I write songs and play guitar everyday and although the subject matter has changed slightly I still write songs solely about love. Oh, by the way, my parents new car made it all the way to Woodstock and back home to our driveway in Yougstown N.Y. without a scratch.
- —Guest norm weintraub
Woodstock got me here
- I was only 11 in 1969. Glued to my radio listening to Pete Fornatale on WNEW-FM in New York giving updates of Woodstock that weekend. I remember thinking I want to be on the radio like Pete when I grow-up playing cool music and being part of events like Woodstock. 40 years later, I have my own syndicated radio show called FM Odyssey and just finished my Woodstock special with my now best friend Pete Fornatale and was at the 40th Woodstock Anniversary concert on 8/15/09. 40 years ago who would have thought! Fred Migliore
- —FredFMO
I was there!!
- In 1969 I went to Woodstock while on my honeymoon. I had read about it as an "arts festival" and bought tickets (no one else did, it seems) and even had a hotel booked for the event. It was a sea of people like nothing I had ever seen before and aside from the amazing music it was hot, muddy and smelly. The loudspeaker messages warning of bad acid and other dangers did not make this a totally "peace and love" event for me. I am very grateful to have been there and the memories of Woodstock have lasted longer than the marriage!!
- —Guest Marion
...was there
- ....40 years ago this past weekend I was at Woodstock..it was a great time, we hitch-hiked from Marblehead, Mass to upstate New York, no tickets to get in but by the time we got there the fences were down.. I remember fine music, a lot of mud and many thousands of people...running out of food but getting some for free...even free beer for awhile ! .....it took about an hour to work yourself up to the front stage, the music was amazing...some of the highlights were Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Santana blew everyone away.....just a fine time by all...I don't remember a whole lot more though...I had just turned nineteen years old... arrived there with my jean jacket, shirts, boots, jeans...and left there with no underwear and only my pants...hitch-hiked to Florida...haha, those were the days !
- —jbragan
sent to the Gulag
- Unfortunately, in 1969 the Canadian Military sent me to the high arctic where we were 2000 miles away from the closest tree or road or women and our only entertainment was listening to an Eskimo radio station playing tribal music, what's this about Woodstock?
- —Guest kj
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