# Woodstock- Did Anyone Here Actually Attend? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2008, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899 "2008-11-09T14:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/41 "2008-11-11T03:14:07Z")
Very cool! I like them quite a bit, and actually saw them when I was about (I think) 14, which would’ve put it in 87 or 88. It was “An Acoustic Evening With CSN.” My first concert without my parents, also my first concert that wasn’t country. S^G ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/42 "2008-11-11T03:24:13Z")
My SO attended the Atlanta Pop Festival the year after. He was very much of that time period. I just reasked him (yeah it’s not a word, I know): Was it like Woodstock? Him: Yeah. Same idea. (And smiled happily) I was born in '69 and my folks were hard working freethinkers, not hippies. (I can’t tune in, turn on, and drop out! I have rent!!! And a kid!) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/43 "2008-11-11T03:40:30Z")
> [@Satellite\_Guy](#): > > Very cool! > I like them quite a bit, and actually saw them when I was about (I think) 14, which would’ve put it in 87 or 88. It was “An Acoustic Evening With CSN.” My first concert without my parents, also my first concert that wasn’t country. > > S^G Their performance is one of my most enduring memories of Woodstock. They came on at 3 AM of the third night - four tiny blue-lit figures (from my distance from the stage) making ethereal music - _Suite: Judy Blue Eyes_, the _Marrakesh Express_, and _Wooden Ships_. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/44 "2008-11-11T04:17:24Z")
A good friend of mine was born at Woodstock. She’s got a magazine article (Rolling Stone, I think) from that time that mentions her. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/45 "2008-11-11T04:46:28Z")
First of all, just so we are all clear, Woodstock took place one heck of a far cry from Woodstock, New York. It was held in White Lake, in the hamlet of Bethel. That’s Sullivan County, NY. West of Orange County. I live in southern Orange County. Plenty of folks in town- including the receptionist who has worked at my mechanic’s shop since metal was invented- attended the festival. I’ve heard some great stories. Stories about the locals there being pissy and mean, yet other people sharing great tales of being fed by locals. The New York State Thruway as well as Route 17 were closed. Route 17 cuts west off of the NYS Thruway about 5 miles from my house, and it is Route 17 that takes one to White Lake and Bethel. My friend Larry drove up from Philly with friends. They made it to the tolls where you exit the NYS Thruway for Route 17, and the transmission dropped. Literally. They pushed it onto the shoulder and started hitching. Saw most of the show. Hitched back to the car, dealt with it, went home. The woman from the mechanic’s place got to enjoy a lovely circular history moment. She went to the opening of [Bethel Woods](http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/). [Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young](http://www.riverreporter.com/issues/06-08-17/head1-woodstock.html) played the venue in 2006. 🙂 I did not go. I was seven. 😃 Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/46 "2008-11-11T06:30:53Z")
My folks would’ve been about 14 and 15, so no, but man I wish. Those are the bands that I rock out to. I’d like to think I would be that highly motivated 15-year-old who’d trek across the country without fear of the consequences I’d face upon return. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/47 "2008-11-11T16:02:18Z")
Santana was virtually unknown at the time of Woodstock. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/48 "2008-11-11T16:15:21Z")
A co-worker of mine was there. She’s the last sort of person most people expect to have been there, but somehow, I have no trouble seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/49 "2008-11-11T18:40:01Z")
My sister went; I sent her a link to this thread, so hopefully she’ll come and share her experiences. She was 16 at the time, and for some reason our parents thought that her 18-year-old brother would be a good chaperone. Har har har. ---
**Author:** ![CalD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7feea3/32.png) [@CalD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalD)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/50 "2008-11-11T18:44:01Z")
This thread got me interested to read up a bit more on the event. One thing I’d like to know: How was food, water and sanitation taken care of at this event? A rapid influx of 500,000 people all needing these facilities… how did it work? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/51 "2008-11-12T03:41:25Z")
One of the most beloved moments is the interview with the portosan cleaner. Interesting history to that bit of film. From the IMDB page on Woodstock the film: > [@](#): > > The filmmakers and distributor were sued by the man who was interviewed while cleaning the Port-O-San portable latrines, on the grounds of mental anguish, embarrassment, public ridicule, and invasion of privacy. An appellate court opinion in this lawsuit may be read at Taggart v. Wadleigh-Maurice, Ltd., 489 F.2d 434 (3d Cir. 1973). Here is the [Appellate Court ruling involving Mr. Thomas Taggart, the portosan man.](http://legal.rights.com/F.2d/489/489.F2d.434.72-1531.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/52 "2008-11-12T13:50:51Z")
I was 11, so I didn’t go but I sure wished I had! I live near Bonnaroo, so I should probably try that to make up for it. Of the 60 or so teachers at my local high school, two were at Woodstock. One was backstage with CSN&Y ( I’ve seen the pictures) and the other was in the crowd. Each year a new crop of students asks them if they saw each other there.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/53 "2008-11-12T14:46:53Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > Of the 60 or so teachers at my local high school, two were at Woodstock. One was backstage with CSN&Y ( I’ve seen the pictures) and the other was in the crowd. Each year a new crop of students asks them if they saw each other there.😃 I’m on the cover of the _Woodstock_ album, but I’m sure my face occupies about one pixel’s worth of space. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/54 "2008-11-12T14:52:04Z")
An interesting thought (well to me). Wonder what the mortality rate is amongst people who did attend against a comparative age bracket. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/55 "2008-11-12T14:53:58Z")
I was there in spirit, but being part of the Army at the time, and being stationed halfway around the world made it hard to attend physically. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899/56 "2008-11-13T03:00:04Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’m on the cover of the _Woodstock_ album, but I’m sure my face occupies about one pixel’s worth of space. 😃 That’s YOU??? OMG OMG OMG !!! I KNEW IT WAS YOU I JUST KNEW IT !!! -snerk- 🙂 I knew a man who was one of the main stage camera operators. Brilliant photographer. Ted Churchill, here’s to you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woodstock-did-anyone-here-actually-attend/471899.md?page=2)