In short
On August 15-18, 1969, roughly 400,000 people converged on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York, for a three-day music festival that became a defining moment for the counterculture movement. The event featured performances from Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Santana, and dozens of others, but what made Woodstock stick was how it crystallized a generation's values around peace, music, and communal living—at least for a weekend.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, 60 miles (95 km) southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music" and alternatively referred to as the Woodstock Rock Festival, it attracted an audience of more than 460,000. Thirty-two acts performed outdoors despite overcast skies and sporadic rain. It was one of the largest music festivals in history and would become the peak musical event to reflect the counterculture of the 1960s.
As it was happening
12 voices, 223 days.
One beat at a time. Click any dot on the timeline to jump, press play for autoplay, or use the arrow keys to step.
Woodstock opens
The Aquarian Exposition officially begins on Max Yasgur's farm. Early arrivals find roads congested and facilities overwhelmed as attendance exceeds organizer projections.
As it was happening
12 voices, 223 days.
Day 0 · August 15, 1969
Woodstock opens
The Aquarian Exposition officially begins on Max Yasgur's farm. Early arrivals find roads congested and facilities overwhelmed as attendance exceeds organizer projections.
Day 0 · August 15, 1969
Santana performs
Santana takes the stage in an early slot, delivering a performance that introduces their Latin rock sound to a national audience via the later film.
“The Aquarian Exposition officially begins on Max Yasgur's…”
- Woodstock opens, Aug 15
“Santana takes the stage in an early slot, delivering a…”
- Santana performs, Aug 15
Day 1 · August 16, 1969
The Who's set
The Who perform, with Pete Townshend and the band delivering an extended set that becomes one of the festival's most remembered performances.
“Nightmare in the Catskills”
- The New York Times, Aug 16
“The Who perform, with Pete Townshend and the band…”
- The Who's set, Aug 16
Day 2 · August 17, 1969
Janis Joplin performs
Janis Joplin takes the stage with Big Brother and the Holding Company, delivering a raw, emotionally intense performance that captures the era's raw energy.
“Bethel Music Festival Draws Record Crowds; Officials…”
- Associated Press, Aug 17
“Janis Joplin takes the stage with Big Brother and the…”
- Janis Joplin performs, Aug 17
Day 3 · August 18, 1969
Jimi Hendrix's closing set
Jimi Hendrix performs a Monday morning set that includes his now-iconic rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' closing out the festival as attendees begin departing.
Day 3 · August 18, 1969
Festival concludes
The three-day event officially ends. Attendees disperse, leaving behind debris and a cultural imprint that will outlast the physical site.
“American Youth Gathers in Fields for Festival of Music and…”
- The Guardian, Aug 18
“Aquarius Rising: 400,000 Kids Turn On at Woodstock”
- Time Magazine, Aug 29
“The Woodstock Festival: A Success Despite the Chaos”
- Rolling Stone, Sep 20
“The three-day event officially ends.”
- Festival concludes, Aug 18
“Jimi Hendrix performs a Monday morning set that includes…”
- Jimi Hendrix's closing set, Aug 18
Day 223 · March 26, 1970
Woodstock documentary premieres
Michael Wadleigh's documentary film 'Woodstock' premieres, reaching millions who didn't attend and cementing the festival's legendary status in popular culture.
“Michael Wadleigh's documentary film 'Woodstock' premieres,…”
- Woodstock documentary premieres, Mar 26
The numbers.
3 numbers that anchor the scale.
By the numbers
The countable parts.
Estimated attendance
0 people
Distance from town of Woodstock
0 miles (95 km) southwest
Documentary release
0 (directed by Michael Wadleigh)
The visual record.
Front pages.
3 outlets carried the story: The New York Times, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone.
Media coverage
What the world was reading.
5 pieces, ranked by how much they shaped the discourse.
The New York Times
Newspaper · United States · Aug 16, 1969
"Nightmare in the Catskills"
Hundreds of thousands of young people converged on a upstate New York farm for a three-day rock music festival, overwhelming local authorities and creating what organizers had billed as a peaceful gathering but what quickly became a logistical catastrophe.
- Aug 17, 1969
Associated Press
Newspaper · United States
"Bethel Music Festival Draws Record Crowds; Officials Declare Emergency"
Synthesized from period reporting - State police and National Guard units were mobilized as attendance soared past 400,000 at the three-day Woodstock festival in Bethel, creating severe shortages of food, water, and sanitation facilities.
- Aug 29, 1969
Time Magazine
Magazine · United States
"Aquarius Rising: 400,000 Kids Turn On at Woodstock"
Nearly half a million teenagers and young adults assembled in Bethel, N.Y., for the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, creating what may well be the largest single gathering of its kind in the nation's history.
- Sep 20, 1969
Rolling Stone
Magazine · United States
"The Woodstock Festival: A Success Despite the Chaos"
What began as a planned 50,000-person festival became an unprecedented three-day celebration of rock music, mud, and the counterculture, with performances from Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who defining a generation.
- Aug 18, 1969
The Guardian
Newspaper · United Kingdom
"American Youth Gathers in Fields for Festival of Music and Peace"
A rural New York farm hosted what international observers called a remarkable demonstration of youth culture and countercultural values, with British and American rock acts performing to an estimated 400,000 attendees.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.Woodstock Music Festival
en.wikipedia.org