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40 Far-Out Photos from the Original Woodstock

Woodstock was more than just a monumental music festival that took place in 1969. For four days, it was the hub of all hippie culture that spawned a movement that lasted for years. It’s still possible to see the effects of Woodstock now! People are still promoting peace, and a lot of the theories hippies supported are encouraged by modern kids. Because of this, Woodstock was more than just a music festival.

More than 400,000 people attended and spent four days in the Catskill Mountains of southern New York State. It was actually scheduled for just two days, but people didn’t want to leave – we don’t blame them!

Whether it rained (and it did rain) or shined, people had a smile on their face. There were 32 acts performed including Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, and more.  The best part is that it required people to live as basically as possible. There were no buildings, and everyone had to build their own tents. The whole thing was terrific and accounted for some of the best photos in all of history. We’re happy to share some of the best photos we’ve seen of this event so it will always be a piece of iconic history.

Making Music

Making Music

There was plenty of music happening at Woodstock--both on stage and off. 

There's no telling what these two actually sounded like, but they seem to be having a good time regardless. 

Bill Eppridge/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

The Woodstock Monkey

The Woodstock Monkey

This definitely has to be the most unusual pet spotted at Woodstock. 

Let's just hope the monkey made smart decisions and didn't do anything illegal. 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Roughing It

Roughing It

There definitely weren't many people who were afraid of getting dirty at Woodstock. 

Clothing might have been optional, but mud most certainly was not! 

Owen Franken/Corbis/Getty Images

The Faces Behind Woodstock

The Faces Behind Woodstock

Woodstock took place on a dairy farm owned by Max and Miriam Yasgur. 

Here, the couple poses for a picture while clean up of their land is happening after the festival. 

Bill Eppridge/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Rock On

Rock On

There were no shortage of famous musicians that performed at the original Woodstock. 

This included 60s band Jefferson Airplane, pictured here. 

Getty Images/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Standing Room Only

Standing Room Only

Some people have claimed that over 1 million people attended Woodstock.  

While those numbers might be a little high, this was clearly not a place where you went to get away from people.

John Dominis/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Showtime

Showtime

British musician Joe Cocker was yet another big-time musician at the time to perform at Woodstock. 

Cocker and his crew made it to the site via helicopter because of the large crowds that had already arrived. 

STILLS/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Decked Out

Decked Out

Cars covered in hippie-inspired slogans were not a rarity at Woodstock. 

It might have looked cool at the time, but hopefully that came off easily when it was time to sell the car! 

Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Rainy Days

Rainy Days

Several storms hit the Woodstock area during the course of the festival, but people didn't let that ruin their fun. 

Sometimes all you needed was a piece of cardboard and a few friends to stay dry. 

John Dominis/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Did He Buy a Ticket?

Did He Buy a Ticket?

No, you're not tripping. That's actually a sheep attending Woodstock. 

Unfortunately, he was more a Country/Western fan. 

Bill Eppridge/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Folk Hero

Folk Hero

Folk musician Joan Baez was the closing act on the first day of Woodstock. 

Although, technically, she didn't begin performing until the early hours of the second day of music. 

Fotos International/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Unexpected Guests

Unexpected Guests

These two look like they're having a blast just hanging out in the trunk of a car. 

Hopefully they found somewhere a little more comfortable to sleep, though. 

Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Woodstock Tickets

Woodstock Tickets

Here we have tickets from the original Woodstock festival. 

Best of luck finding a three-day music festival these days that only costs $24! 

Blank Archives/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Guitar Royalty

Guitar Royalty

These days, people are much more familiar with guitarist Carlos Santana and his eponymous band. 

However, when they performed at Woodstock, they were virtually unheard of at the time. 

Tucker Ransom/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Blowing Bubbles

Blowing Bubbles

Who needs world-class musicians when you've got some bubbles? 

Clearly this Woodstock festival goer felt the same way. 

John Dominis/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Rain, Rain Go Away

Rain, Rain Go Away

A plastic tarp might not be luxurious, but when it rains as much as it did at Woodstock, that's irrelevant. 

You've got to work with what you've got. 

John Dominis/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Woodstock at Night

Woodstock at Night

If you thought the Woodstock crowds looked crazy during the day, just wait until you see them at night! 

It almost felt like its own little world. 

John Dominis/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Medical Tent

Medical Tent

In this photo, two men recieve treatment in a medical tent. 

Despite the huge crowds, there were only two deaths reported at the festival. 

John Dominis/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Guitarist Tom Fogerty

Guitarist Tom Fogerty

Creedence Clearwater Revival was at the peak of their game when they took the stage at the original Woodstock and were actually the first group to sign on to the event...all for a paltry $10,000! 

Guitarist Tom Fogerty is pictured in this image of their performance. In 2019, the group released the album Live at Woodstock, which was a live album of their performance all those decades ago. 

Tucker Ranson/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Enjoying the Show

Enjoying the Show

Woodstock attendees had to quickly learn how to get up close and personal with their fellow concertgoers, as open space was a rarity at the event! 

It's estimated that more than 400,000 people attended the original Woodstock, but that number has fluctuated over the years. Regardless, the place was packed! 

Derek Redmond and Paul Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questionable Construction

Questionable Construction

We're not denying that Woodstock was probably a good time, but was it a safe time? The speakers seem to be sitting pretty precariously in this photo! 

According to attendees, safety was not a particularly important priority during the event. Concertgoers frequently saw electrical wires hanging out in mud puddles, and the rainy weather ensured that every surface was slick and dangerous. 

Woodstock Whisperer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hanging Out

Hanging Out

For attendees, Woodstock was an amazing time. We imagine that many people at the festival just enjoyed the weekend hanging out and hearing great music like these two guys did. 

However, it was quite a stressful time for organizers! Money issues almost led to the festival being canceled halfway through the event. Who knew it cost so much to let people chill in the mud? 

Derek Redmond and Paul Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Swami Speaks

The Swami Speaks

Woodstock may have been a weekend of music for most, but it was a spiritual experience for some. In this photo, we see Sri Swami Satchidananda opening the event with remarks to a large crowd. 

His statement addressed the power of music and was followed by a group chant. 

Mark Goff, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Making a Buck

Making a Buck

Hippies might have seen Woodstock as an opportunity to express peace and love, but some savvy people saw the festival as an opportunity to make a quick buck! 

In this photo, we see a group of Woodstock locals selling hot dogs and soda to hungry concertgoers. Considering that access to food was a recurring problem for the event, we imagine these guys did pretty well for themselves. 

James M Shelley, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Snuggled Up

Snuggled Up

Unfortunately for concertgoers, the weather wasn't very agreeable during the weekend of the original Woodstock. 

While temps started out in the 80s, they quickly dropped thanks to frequent rain storms. Nothing says peace and love like being cold and soaked to the bone! 

Michael Ochs Archives/MoviePix/Getty Images

Too Much Fun

Too Much Fun

People partying too hard at Woodstock? Can you imagine such a ridiculous thing? As crazy as it sounds, there were plenty of people who overindulged at the festival. 

Case in point: these two guys! Let's hope they got home safely after enjoying such an uncomfortable nap! 

Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Pants: Don't Leave Home Without Them

Pants: Don't Leave Home Without Them

Hollywood wasted no time in making a buck off the Woodstock craze. Despite the festival only taking place in August of 1969, Warner Bros. had produced an Oscar-winning documentary musical about it by 1970. 

In this still from the documentary, we simply and hilariously see people selling jeans. Considering all the mud at Woodstock, it might have been nice to have a spare pair waiting for you in your tent! 

Warner Bros/Michael Ochs Archives/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Sitting Around

Sitting Around

Logistically, Woodstock was a bit of a nightmare. Nothing started on time or ran according to plan for most of the weekend. 

In this photo, we see two guys doing what a lot of people had to do at Woodstock...sit around and wait. At least they've got that cool van! 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

A Mini Museum

A Mini Museum

Woodstock might have been primarily about the music, but you could find arts of all kinds at this creative festival. 

In this photo, we see a woman looking at photographs in a makeshift art museum. The pictures were taken by photographer Ralph Ackerman, an artist and anti-war activist, who set up his collection on a fence outside the festival. 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Group Hug

Group Hug

Considering that Woodstock was mostly hippies ingesting God-knows-what, it's not surprising that lots of concertgoers were really feeling the love. 

Why this group hug got started, we'll never know, but these bros are clearly happy about something! 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

"Crafts" for Sale

"Crafts" for Sale

There was no shortage of people attempting to sell their wares at Woodstock, but this has to be the worst of the worst. Maybe arts and crafts aren't your destiny. 

Those things hanging are allegedly candles, but we're not convinced. It's kind of impressive that they managed to make candles look actively unappealing, but we're still not buying one of those disgusting things!

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Hog Farmers

Hog Farmers

The Hog Farm is one of the longest-running hippie communes in the country, and the group played a major role at Woodstock. They were hired to build trails and fire pits for the event and also set up a kitchen. 

This photo was taken of two members of the Hog Farm who famously drove multiple buses to Woodstock. 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

One Long Line

One Long Line

While the exact number of attendees has never been determined, it's safe to say that hundreds of thousands of people attended the original Woodstock festival. And it turns out that logistics for that many people can get tricky quickly. 

This aerial view of the line waiting to get into the festival proves just that! Cars were backed up and parked along the side of the road for miles leading up to the grounds. 

Gordon Rynders/NY Daily News Archive/New York Daily News/Getty Images

A Puppet Show

A Puppet Show

Sure, you could see major names like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Creedence Clearwater Revival at Woodstock, but don't forget about the puppet shows, either!

While we wouldn't have personally ever thought to put on a puppet show at Woodstock, we're not entirely surprised that a hippie came up with this wacky idea. 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Even More Busses

Even More Busses

We're not sure why Woodstock was such a school bus magnet, but there was no shortage of them at the festival. Sure, they're convenient for transporting a bunch of people, but what's with all the weird paint jobs? 

This was another bus that the Hog Farmer commune brought in with them, and it was located near the "free" stage where musicians and festivalgoers could jam with one another. 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Staying Dry

Staying Dry

A plastic tarp tent doesn't sound like the most luxurious way to spend the weekend, but when you consider how rainy it was at the original Woodstock, these might have been the only place you could stay dry! 

We're not exactly sure what's going on with this painting, but that's definitely not what we would want to see before we drifted off to sleep! 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Meher Baba Tent

Meher Baba Tent

Meher Baba was an Indian mystic who claimed to be an avatar of God who got popular with American hippie types in the 1960s. While he died at the beginning of 1969, he still made an appearance at Woodstock. 

In this photo, festivalgoers have set up a tent to discuss Meher Baba and his teachings. He may have been gone, but his words were clearly still important to some people. 

Ralph Ackerman/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Who?

Who?

Does it get more Woodstock than this: The Who posing in front of a psychedelic school bus? They were one of the big draws of the festival, and their performance did not disappoint! 

Because of scheduling problems at the festival, their Saturday night show actually ended up being a Sunday morning sunrise show, which led to some amazing scenes of the band rocking out as the sun rose. 

FilmPublicity/Archive/United Archives/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Crosby, Stills, and Nash

Crosby, Stills, and Nash

In this photo, we get a shot of guitarist Stephen Stills (of Crosby, Stills, and Nash) rocking out during their performance at Woodstock. 

This performance marked one of their first public appearances as a musical trio. The group actually ended up performing two sets: one that was acoustic and one that was electrified. 

Fotos International/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Back to the Real World

Back to the Real World

All good things must come to an end, and Woodstock finally called it quits on Monday, August 18th, 1969. However, getting back to the real world was a little complicated. 

As with the journey to Woodstock, the journey back to civilization involved lots of slow-moving walkers and vehicles blocking the way. 

Bettmann/Bettmann/Getty Images