We're coming up on the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, which happened from August 15-18, 1969. With over 23,000 members at BR, I was wondering if anybody here attended? If so, how about posting some of your experiences.

I was 12 years old, and I went to Woodstock. But the key word in that sentence is went not "attended."

My friend's parents were gone for a long weekend and his older brother and a friend had 4 Friday tickets for Woodstock, and they were going to take us along. (But to digress a bit, one has to remember it was billed as the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, An Aquarian Exposition. And until it actually happened, it was just gonna be another concert and art fair.)

Early in the week, I asked my parents if I could go. And, I guess like most parents of a 12-year-old, they said NO WAY! Well, it was a different time back then, so we decided to go anyway and get home in the evening before anybody knew any better. So we take off early Friday morning for New York (I said we were going fishing). At that time there wasn't the highway system like there is today. When we got across the state line into New York the traffic came to a dead stop. Obviously something big was happening. After a little while in traffic and listening to the radio, the two older guys decided they were going to get there no matter what, and stay the duration. So they turned the car around, drove back to my house, dropped me and my friend off at my house, and asked if my friend could stay with us for the weekend, as they were going back to Woodstock and stay for the weekend. The jig was up... the reports were everywhere of what was going on, and did I ever get in trouble. Back then, the big wooden spoon was the preferred method of punishment in my house.

So I went to Woodstock, but never got there. When my friend's brother returned (they went back, parked the car, walked and hitched the rest of the way there), all I got for my troubles was a lousy T-Shirt. The T-Shirt is now gone, but I still have my ticket (although it's rather beat up and ratty now).

I've never lived that event down, and even today - 40 years later, my 79-year-old mother still yells at me and gives me grief over my excursion to Woodstock. I guess the Irish never forget.

So for me, it wasn't 3 days of peace and love, but rather 3 weeks of misery and punishment. And I never got to hear a single tune!

I didn't go to Woodstock, never regretted it for a moment. I was at the Summer Nationals at Center Mooriches LI: National Speedway then saw the Chambers Brothers in Harlem Later that weekend and played a gig. When I was younger I would rather play a gig than see anyone else play.

Not my idea of a good 3 days of music, getting rained on with a half a million smelly stoned people, not my bag! 8-)

ps Gotta fess up: I was a stoned person myself in those days

Yeah I was there.  Took the brown paper though, I never made it back till last Thursday.

Yeah I was there. Took the brown paper though, I never made it back till last Thursday.

The event happend 19 years before you were born, HOW were YOU there????

it was a joke muddy

Man I don't remember if I was there or not.

I was almost 12 then. The Flower power, summer of love, hippie, counter culture movement was mostly prevalent on the east and mostly west coast. It had barely made an impression in the middle of the country. Most of what I saw of it was on the news. The bands involved were only played on 1 radio station in town, it was considered something of a seedy station playing alternative, hippie music (40 years later, KSHE radio in St Louis is still the same playing great rock music).

Just to show how much culture has changed, much of what went on at woodstock was considered somewhat shocking at the time yet 40 years later, a typical springbreak weekend at Panama City or Daytona beach see's just as much or more nudity, open sex and consuming of alcohol and drugs.

Wow, is that where Avid goes for Spring Break ;D

Best true Woodstock moment - Who guitarist Pete Townshend hitting hippie leader Abbie Hoffman across the head with his guitar because Hoffman jumped onstage during the Who's set to make a political rant.

I'd sit in the mud for three days to see that !

My mom and dad were there... Mom 13 dad 15. In fact my dad's family was pretty funny, he was one of 8 and his four sisters all moved to San Fran in 1967 or 68 not sure. Needless to say they all ended up leaving San Francisco, one lives in napa with her family, the other three's families are in the Seattle area. Reason behind me saying all this is I can't imagine what it must have been like then. Also needless to say, I was the late child lol  

At 24 I have great memories of those days but I didn't make it to Woodsock.  I did get out to Gooselake in Jackson, Mi. a year later and with about 200,000 people there it was awesome.

Somethings from the past are best unsaid on a public forum.

I was 18 and there so can I testify flower power, summer of love, hippie, and counter culture movement was mostly made up by the news media; just like today's news media don't believe 60% of what they publish.

A one month old son and a woman that ruled the roost with a 30 pound frying pan kept me from going.

Remember this scene!

Sorry, I was in Vietnam killing Commies for Christ.  

Nope, wasn't even born then, I have seen the movie of it and the best part is when Joe Cochran performs getten by with a little help of my friends, thats a classic ;D

Cochran is a lawyer Cocker is the Singer ;D

Sorry, I was in Vietnam killing Commies for Christ.

That's funny right there...

Cochran is a lawyer Cocker is the Singer ;D

Darn spell check >

Well I guess it would be funny to see Joe doing it then,

"What would ya do if the glove don't fit, would ya walk out on me" ;D