The '60s proved to be a decade of cultural revolution in politics, music and society. It included years of protesting from the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. The tragic deaths of JFK and MLK who had a huge impact on the people who preached for peace. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landing on the moon, which proved to be a huge accomplishment in the scientific field. It also gave rise to a new counterculture of people who were called hippies. However, the '60s would not have been complete without Woodstock, one of the largest musical festivals to ever take place.
Woodstock was so great because it was just a bunch of people coming together for the love of music and because of shared beliefs. Most of the people who came to this festival were hippies who promoted peace and sexual freedom. They moved away from the racial tensions that were arising during that time and accepted people of all races. Loving whoever regardless if they were different was what they stood by.
The festival also included a bomb a** line-up. From Jimi Hendrix to Janis Joplin, the stage roared with Rock. To many teenagers, rock music was a way of releasing tension from the war. They felt they actually belonged to something. Music is supposed to be a form of self expression and for many of these teens, they could finally release what they've been feeling. Rock music was seen to be inappropriate to many of the older generation during that time since the lyrics were about sex and drugs. To many of the adults, who listened to Frank Sinatra, it was considered "Satan's music." It was this reason why that teens loved it even more. Today, rock music has become a favorite worldwide.
Woodstock was so unorganized, and that was also another reason why it was amazing. Max Yasgur, a dairy farmer, kindly leased one of his farm's fields when no one else did. The festival got so big, water and food became a problem and Yasgur started giving out water for free. Food ran out the first day of the festival, and Woodstock Ventures started asking locals to make some food. It was also a rainy season, so you could imagine the conditions on a farm with over 500,000 people. There were also only three toilets. But hey, at least there was good music!
In the end, Woodstock made people realize how huge this counterculture really was and how deeply their ideals will change the future. It was a union of people coming together for a purpose of three days of peace, love and music. So to that, I will leave you with Max Yasgur's words to the crowd of Woodstock '69:
"I'm a farmer. I don't know how to speak to 20 people at one time, let alone a crowd like this. But I think you people have proven something to the world—not only to the Town of Bethel, or Sullivan County or New York State; you've proven something to the world. This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place. We have had no idea that there would be this size group, and because of that, you've had quite a few inconveniences as far as water, food and so forth. Your producers have done a mammoth job to see that you're taken care of... they'd enjoy a vote of thanks. But above that, the important thing that you've proven to the world is that a half a million kids—and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you—a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I God Bless You for it!”
— addressing the crowd at Woodstock on August 17, 1969, from the film, "Woodstock"
