Woodstock 50, the landmark celebration of the legendary 1969 festival in upstate New York, was scheduled to kick off less than a month from today on Aug. 16, but the plans for the ambitious anniversary took yet another hit today when the town of Vernon, NY, which holds Woodstock 50’s proposed location of Vernon Downs (after the festival lost out on its initial planned venue in Watkins Glen), denied the organizers’ permit (again).
In a meeting on Tuesday evening, representatives for Woodstock 50 and Vernon Downs owner Jeffrey Gural attempted to convince Vernon residents of the benefits of the festival, despite law enforcement and citizens concerns over the logistical issues that would arise from confirming such a large-scale event so close to the date it is set to take place.
As the Poughkeepsie Journal reports, while the Vernon Downs location is now in the rearview for Woodstock 50 organizers, the statement released today does not officially admit defeat, omitting a final cancellation of the festival. One of Woodstock 50’s production partners, Virgin Produced, has parted ways with the festival after the permit denial.
“Woodstock 50 is disappointed that the Town of Vernon has passed up the opportunity to hold the historic 50th anniversary festival by denying our robust and thoughtful proposal,” Woodstock 50’s statement reads. “We regret that those in Vernon who supported Woodstock have been deprived of the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of the rebirth of a cultural peace movement that changed the world in 1969 and is what the world needs now. We want to thank the artists who stood by us. We are grateful for the support of Vernon Downs and its generous owner Jeffrey Gural.”
Michael Lang, one of the original Woodstock’s organizers and one of the faces of Woodstock 50’s beleaguered efforts, said after the Vernon meeting, “We need to regroup and figure it out… “I’m disappointed. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy and I knew that the town supervisor, frankly, was really behind this position. We just hoped there was a sense of fairness that these people would be adhering to and it doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Stay tuned for more information on any official cancellation or possible further efforts from Woodstock 50 organizers to salvage (or reschedule) the anniversary festival celebration.
11 Comments comments associated with this post
https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/woodstock-50-applies-for-vernon-downs-permit-yet-again-1203271861/
July 18, 2019 at 4:43 pmUnreal he’s trying it again!
How does someone cancel an event that was never contracted to take place in the first place ???
https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/woodstock-50-applies-for-vernon-downs-permit-yet-again-1203271861/
Kndd
July 18, 2019 at 12:43 pmFor the people, for the planet…yeah let’s not camp out while we watch Jay-z. Michael, you sir have won the douche award (again). Can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2029.
Eat Me
July 18, 2019 at 11:33 amOnce again Mr. Lang, take my free advice. Bills, Giants, Mets or Yankee stadium where 65,000 routinely enter and exit daily. Assuming you can get the artists to move AND people really want to see them play (a BIG doubt in my mind). Any “spirit” of Woodstock is long gone and left in the 60’s so you might just as well exploit the bland corporate venues of a large stadium…
ugotrey
July 18, 2019 at 1:28 pmagreed, the only way it could even happen at this point… cut half the acts, put it in a stadium for cheap tickets and stream it.
Lang’s a hack
RICHARDSPOOR
July 18, 2019 at 3:25 pmHow about Dead & Slow, Santana, John Fogerty and anyone else who was remotely tied to the original – at the Nassau Coliseum? That would be the only scenario which I would go..
https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/woodstock-50-whats-next-permit-rejection-1203270308/
July 18, 2019 at 10:49 amhttps://variety.com/2019/biz/news/woodstock-50-whats-next-permit-rejection-1203270308/
Eat Me
July 18, 2019 at 10:48 amWhat a cluster, over entitled Lang couldn’t take no for an answer. I read where he won’t officially cancel the event as it has to be cancelled by a government entity for insurance to kick in against all the advance artist payments. Expect another lawsuit for the idiot who has sued and fought legal battles all his life over Woodstock. Hardly in the spirit of…
Dsff
July 18, 2019 at 10:46 amSo you’re telling me, Michael that all these artists, acts aren’t gonna book themselves elsewhere while they wait to see if you can pull off the impossible? Not that it really concerns me, as they agreed to do this chit show…but I don’t buy it. The whole thing is and has been wrought with deception from the beginning…Fyre Fest II
me
July 17, 2019 at 10:38 pmI’m just outside Canandaigua, NY, about a mile off of the NYS Thruway. I have a backyard that can hold about 173 packed solid. Not much parking but I have a minivan to run shuttles. We can set up an AirBnB account, so give me a call Mike…
Hdff
July 17, 2019 at 5:34 pmOhh Snap, clue. Snap, indeed
Johnny McDouchelstein
July 17, 2019 at 4:40 pmI’m still going. I don’t miss an Imagine Dragons set.