"Preserving Woodstock: Capturing Memories and Music History"

The Museum at Bethel Woods is leading a five-year project to collect firsthand memories of the iconic Woodstock festival before they fade away, traveling across the country to record oral histories from attendees. With grants totaling over $235,000, curators and community connectors are gathering personal recollections, aiming to preserve the unique experiences and impact of the event. Over 500 oral histories have been collected so far, with plans to focus on New York state and reunite friends who attended the festival together. The project seeks to capture the essence of Woodstock as more than just a musical event, but a spiritual and cultural phenomenon of the 1960s.