The 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair was among the first major festivals to offer on-site camping, allowing attendees to stay immersed in the experience without leaving the grounds. Today, acres of surrounding farmland are again transformed each summer into a cultural destination, featuring bazaars, arts and crafts, live music, educational programming and camping. Visitors can camp amid the same landscape that welcomed roughly 450,000 people during the iconic 1969 festival.
© Breyden Anderson
Located about 90 miles north of New York City in Bethel, New York, the site is now home to The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a lush 800-acre campus that blends performance venues, exhibition space and educational programs. The Pavilion Stage amphitheater seats 16,000 and hosts a summer lineup of concerts. An intimate 422-seat Event Gallery and a Conservatory support indoor performances and arts education.
The Museum at Bethel Woods preserves and interprets the cultural history of the 1960s and the Woodstock event, focusing on the era’s music, social movements and creative expression. As a not-for-profit institution, Bethel Woods relies on support from individuals, corporations and foundations to maintain its programs, exhibits and community outreach.
© Breyden Anderson
This summer’s Pavilion concert series includes roughly 20 shows spanning multiple genres, with performers ranging from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to Barenaked Ladies, Def Leppard, The Black Keys and Blink-182. The Museum at Bethel Woods, situated on the 1969 festival grounds, is open daily and highlights two key aspects of the original Woodstock experience: the arts-and-crafts marketplace known as the “Bindy Bazaar” and the festival’s pioneering approach to on-site camping.
Beyond concerts and museum exhibits, Bethel Woods offers year-round arts, music and family programs, along with educational events that engage both adults and children. One notable upcoming event is BuildFest2, part of the Bethel Woods Arts & Architectural Festival 2025: “Peace Rises,” scheduled for Sept. 10–14. BuildFest2 invites university faculty, freelance designers and construction engineers to design and build interactive wooden “Peace-Infrastructures” on the historic Woodstock grounds over five days. Competing teams vie for prize awards, and all finished installations remain on display for visitors to explore.
Whether attending a concert, visiting the museum or exploring seasonal festivals and educational programming, visitors to Bethel Woods can experience a blend of history, art and nature on the same land that fostered a defining moment in American cultural history. The campus continues to celebrate creative expression while offering peaceful outdoor spaces and engaging events for all ages.