Woodstock was billed as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music.”
The phrase appeared on promotional material for the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, the festival held on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm near Bethel, New York, in August 1969. “Aquarian” referred to the astrological idea of the coming Age of Aquarius, a concept closely associated with the era’s counterculture and hopes for social transformation.
The wording helped frame Woodstock as more than a concert: it suggested a cultural gathering built around peace, community and music. The festival was originally scheduled for three days, August 15–17, but delays and weather pushed performances into August 18.
The event was often simply called Woodstock, even though it took place roughly 60 miles southwest of the town of Woodstock. “American,” “Electric” and “Utopian” fit the period’s promotional language, but none completes the documented billing. The phrase also became familiar through the festival’s posters, films, recordings and later anniversary releases.