After months of rumors, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts has made it official: the historic site will host a festival this summer commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock festival.
From Aug. 16 to 18, Bethel Woods will host a range of artists from different musical genres, both emerging and established acts, as well as “TED-style” talks to commemorate the golden anniversary of the original music festival.
The lineup of performers, ticket costs and other details are still yet to be announced. Bethel Woods said in a press release on Dec. 27 that the festival will feature  entertainment villages and small performance areas.
For the festival, the Sullivan County nonprofit will team up with Live Nation, one of the country’s largest concert promoters, as well as INVNT, described as a global live brand storytelling agency.
“Fifty years ago, people gathered peacefully on our site inspired to change the world through music,” said Darlene Fedun, CEO of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. “As the stewards of this historic site, we remain committed to preserving this rich history and spirit and to educating and inspiring new generations to contribute positively to the world through music, culture, and community.”
The Museum at Bethel Woods, which chronicles the 1960s and the 1969 festival, will add an exhibit called “We Are Golden: Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival and Aspirations for an Aquarian Future.”
The celebration of the famed festival has been an anticipated tourism event even before this week’s announcement. Airbnb specifically cited the 50th anniversary of Woodstock when it named the Hudson Valley and Catskills region among the top 19 places to visit in 2019. As did the travel publication and website Lonely Planet, when it placed the Catskills second on its list of best regions in the world to visit next year.
In November, the U.S. Postal Service announced a new Forever stamp for 2019 commemorating Woodstock’s 50th anniversary.
