After months on end of perseverance, it looks like it might just be the end of the road for Woodstock 50, as their dreams of recreating the iconic festival have been crushed yet again.
Last month, it looked like there might be one last glimpse of hope for the festival, as they applied for a permit to hold the festival at Vernon Downs, roughly 56 kilometers away from the OG festival site. That application has officially been denied.
Ever so surprisingly, Woodstock 50 is most likely not going to happen, as their application to host the festival at a new venue has been denied.
Woodstock 50 was originally scheduled to take place at the upstate New York race track Watkins Glen International. The festival lost this venue last month after organisers reportedly neglected to pay $150,000, and soon after applied for a permit to hold the festival at Vernon Downs, a much smaller New York casino, race track and hotel. The proposed capacity was for 45,000-50,000 people – far smaller than the 150,000 planned for the initial venue.
Now, that permit has been denied. According to Oneida County Administrator Anthony Picente Jr., the promoters have five days to appeal the decision, but “what they have submitted to date has not met many of the requirements.” He added that the likelihood of the festival happening is “highly unlikely.” No shit.
The festival, still holding on to the smallest inkling of hope, is still slated to take place August 16-18. The chances of the festival going ahead are looking pretty slim, but the festival organisers seem to be believing that in just over a month they’ll be able to miraculously pull this thing together.
In a statement, Woodstock 50 organisers said: “In response to the denial of an event permit by the Town of Vernon, Woodstock 50 believes certain political forces may be working against the resurrection of the Festival. Local reports claim Woodstock’s filing for the permit was “incomplete” but that is not the case.
Woodstock 50 officials were informed by the Town of Vernon that most questions had been answered and asked only that Woodstock submit medical, safety/security and traffic plans by this past Sunday, which it did. With a venue chosen, financing assembled and many of the artist’s [sic] supporting Woodstock’s 50th Anniversary event, the organizers are hopeful that their appeal and reapplication tonight will prevail without further political interference.”
I have never witnessed such undying faith.
