Plans for a summer weekend music festival, named the Hudson Project Music and Arts Festival, received Planning Board approval last week, moving plans for live music at Winston Farm one step closer.
The proposal would see 20,000 to 30,000 people descend on Winston Farm, site of the famed Woodstock ’94 concert, from July 10-13, to enjoy acts from nearly every genre of music except country, bluegrass and Americana, said Jon Fordin, co-owner of MCP Productions.
The event would feature four temporary stages, including a large main stage that folds out from a tractor-trailer, and three other tent stages, Fordin said.
Many concertgoers would camp out for the duration of the event, he said.
The entire set up including lighting, restrooms, and showers would be temporary, he added.
With this approval, Fordin hopes to begin ticket sales in early February. Tickets would be sold online, and at several to-be-determined locations around Saugerties and Woodstock.
The festival also needs a mass gathering permit from the town, which has expressed support for the idea.
Fordin, who has been putting events like this together for 12 years, is excited about the road ahead as he books talent and markets the show.
“We’ve come a long way to reach this stage, but there’s a long way to go,” he said. “We’re just very excited about this approval.”
Fordin said other details his team needs to finalize in the coming months include security measures and parking.
Last month he presented an extensive security plan that included a zero-tolerance drug and weapon policy with multiple security checkpoints, RFID bracelets for ticket holders, and an on-site command post staffed by New York State Police and Ulster County Sheriff’s officers.
While he could not offer any specifics on what percentage the town would get from ticket sales, he said local residents would receive a discount on tickets.
“We always give the locals a discount on tickets to our concerts,” he said. “We anticipate offering these discounts to people with a Saugerties address.”
Michael Lang, famed promoter of the Woodstock concerts, is also working on this project. He is very optimistic about the prospects for this event.
“We’re excited about this coming to Saugerties,” he said. “It’s something that is going to be here for years to come, and has a great opportunity to grow.”
Planning Board member Paul Andreassen is keyed-up about the idea.
“It’s great to see this concert coming to this site,” he said. “These guys are experts and I’m very confident that they will put on a great show that will only grow in the years to come.”
Board member Dan Weeks sees this concert as a great experiment for the town.
“They’re experimenting and we’re experimenting,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what this would look like when they start talking about a permanent installation.”
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