Although I was of that generation, I did not go to Woodstock. I was a new mom at the time. My then husband worked for the establishment and was happily working his way up the rungs of the corporate ladder while finishing his college business degree. We had our first little house and a station wagon. We understood what Woodstock stood for, but the type of person who attended Woodstock was certainly not part of our social circle. No, we were so outside that whole scene. John on the other hand, owned tie-dyed shirts, had an afro and was totally into that whole lifestyle, but he wasn't able to go to Woodstock either. He had been drafted into the Army and was slated to go to Viet Nam. This never came to be, but he had orders to go that were rescinded the night before his departure.
The photo above makes the event look pretty organized and it did begin that way. The organization just didn't work for the quarter million unexpected attendees. They ran out of food. There were not enough sanitary facilities and there was a huge rain storm with dramatic lightning. I remember reading all about it and seeing reports on TV while it was going on. I remember being very glad I wasn't there.
The other night when J and I went to see Julie & Julia, the theatre was giving away posters for a new movie called Taking Woodstock. I love the 60s graphics and art work.
Question of the Day:
Do you go to Woodstock or did your parents go?
No - my parents were also raising a family. I was 11 years old at the time so I think they were too old for that generation and I was too young. But I love, love all the music and am anxious to see the movie Taking Woodstock.
One fun memory I have from the late sixties was my Dad driving us through Haight-Ashbury to see all the hippies! He and my Mom met and married in SF and I was born there, but by that time we had moved to the suburbs of San Jose.
Posted by: nancy y | Tuesday, 18 August 2009 at 11:21 PM
Mostly the only thing I know about Woodstock is that it's the name of the little yellow bird dude who hangs around with Snoopy.... hahaha. I of course didn't go as I would have been defying several laws of existence and linear time (meaning I wasn't born yet haha) My parents never went and I don't think I know of any body who did. But I bet if I asked around someone I know would know someone who knows someone who went. :)
Posted by: TACE | Tuesday, 18 August 2009 at 11:25 PM
As you know, I'm in Australia, so missed Woodstock (and being too young the other reason), but my Dad's band Pirana played at the Australian equivalent called the Sunbury Festival. I think my Dad still wishes he was still there!
Here's a link about the band if you're interested:
http://www.pirana.com.au/
Posted by: Rachel Greig | Wednesday, 19 August 2009 at 04:06 AM
Hi Ginny,
I was a junior in high school living in a teeny town in the UP of Michigan. Going to Woodstock for me would have been like going to the moon.
Actually glad I wasn't there. I am not good in crowds and can't tolerate chaos.
I have friends the same age as I am who were there. I almost can't imagine.
Love the music from that period, though!
xoxo
Posted by: Vicki | Wednesday, 19 August 2009 at 06:38 AM
I was at OSU at the time. I remember a concert being advertised but it was just a concert. Woodstock wasn't Woodstock yet. I was more interested in
ending the war in Vietnam. If it would have been
a peace rally, I might have gone.
Posted by: andrea | Wednesday, 19 August 2009 at 08:42 AM
P.S. Even Joni Mitchell didn't go. She wrote the song,
but she didn't go.
Posted by: andrea | Wednesday, 19 August 2009 at 08:44 AM
I was born in 1962, and grew up in the Bay Area... No Woodstock for me.. I was too young.. However, I have been to several Grateful Dead Concerts in the Bay Area, at Berkeley, and in SF.. This all happened in the '70's/'80s. I have also seen Joan Baez play in concert, and Neil Young..
Had I been old enough, my friends and I probably would have taken a road trip and 'been there'... we were all tie die kids!!!
Posted by: Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal) | Wednesday, 19 August 2009 at 09:35 AM
I was 14 y/o and living in Cleveland, OH at the time Woodstock took place. I wish I would have been several years older and made the trip. I watched a Woodstock special over the weekend and was so moved by the cooperation amongst the volunteers, townspeople, producers, musicians and concert-goers. If you get a chance to see the special (maybe on VH1?) you should check it out. The music is simply amamzing, too. Carlos Santana and the musicians that played with him were breathtaking. The music brought back so many of my own memories of that time in my life! So very cool!
Posted by: KateinCleveland | Wednesday, 19 August 2009 at 02:00 PM
My husband and I would have gone had we been old enough or had the money to travel across country. We were juniors in HS at the time of Woodstock. Interestingly enough my husband had the number 75 and was to be drafted to go to Viet Nam...and then Nixon ended the draft/war! I just looked up the draft lottery... here's a link http://www.sss.gov/lotter1.htm for the Viet Nam war. Brings back lots of memories.
Posted by: Dot | Saturday, 22 August 2009 at 10:19 PM
No, I wasn't there. I was living in England with my first child and a husband who was truly establishment. We differed on so so many things. I would not have likely gone then because going off on my own was not done in my world. Of course, Woodstock wasn't WOODSTOCK!! till it was over. Later we experienced a lot of that lifestyle in England while our income still came from The Establishment.
Posted by: Maureen | Thursday, 10 September 2009 at 04:45 PM