Where was the 1969 Woodstock festival held?

The 1969 Woodstock festival was held in Bethel, New York.

Although the event took its name from the nearby town of Woodstock, the concert site was Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel. Promoters originally planned the festival for Woodstock, where several artists and organizers were based, but they could not secure a suitable venue there.

The site became known as Yasgur’s farm, and the festival officially ran from August 15 to August 18, 1969. The location is now preserved as the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which includes a museum about the event.

A common mix-up is assuming Woodstock took place in the town whose name it used. The name referred to the festival’s cultural and artistic roots, while Bethel was the actual host community.