The road to Woodstock 50 has been rough, as the festival has faced a series of setbacks that have led the public to believe, time and time again, that the festival would not go forward, but the festival organisers have not given up hope.
Just weeks before the festival is slated to take place, Woodstock has allegedly declared that the festival will be a free event, in a desperate bid to save what remains of the festival.
Woodstock 50 organisers have gone and pulled another trick from their sleeves… Apparently, the festival is still happening, and it will be a free benefit concert.
The bad news for Woodstock began at the beginning of the year, with the main financier pulling out of the festival, followed by numerous denied venue permits and artists backing out of the festival. Regardless of each setback, the festival organisers ensured fans that it was business as usual, repeatedly insisting that the festival will proceed on its scheduled dates.
After struggling to secure a viable location for the last few months, organisers announced on Thursday that the festival would be relocating to Columbia, Maryland, roughly 450 kilometers from the OG festival site. Such a significant location change is bound to impact performers, and on Friday, multiple agents claimed that the move was in violation of the festival artists’ contracts and they’d no longer be obligated to uphold their contracts.
According to TMZ, the team behind Woodstock 50 have decided to change the three day festival to a free benefit concert, relying on donations to cover costs, stating that “our sources say organizers are still hopeful they’ll be able to put on a three-day festival with music throughout … and final plans are still very much in motion. In fact, we’re told all artists who are still booked and scheduled to perform have been paid in full.”
Last week, Jay-Z and John Fogerty both pulled out of the festival in light of its relocation, with Fogerty announcing a separate performance of his own that weekend, explaining that he “knows where he will be for the anniversary weekend of Woodstock. At only one site … At the original one – the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.” Saturday headliners Dead & Company have also reportedly pulled out of the festival.
According to sources involved with the festival, free GA tickets will be released in the near future, and VIP tickets will be sold at a cost in an effort to cover the costs of the festival. Woodstock 50 have not chosen a specific cause for the festival, but will be encouraging patrons to donate to various causes.
Woodstock 50 is scheduled to take place August 16-18 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, but lord knows it’ll take a miracle for the festival to actually go ahead successfully.
