The festival dubbed “2 More Days of Peace & Music” has morphed into a months-long celebration for the 30th anniversary of Woodstock ’94, itself the 25th anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair. It’s very much a Saugerties event.
Woodstock ’94 was held at Winston Farm in Saugerties over three days — not two — in August 1994. The setting is remembered by many for the mud. In case you missed out because of whatever you might have been consuming at the time, check out footage of California Bay Area pop-punk trio Green Day’s shenanigans on the Sunday. Mud covered the band, the crowd and much of the South Stage. It also covered bass guitarist Mike Dirnt’s dropped tooth.
Of course Woodstock ’94 is remembered for many other things, including a surprisingly eclectic lineup of music, which struck a symbiotic chord among such performers as first-wave Woodstock-era legends Crosby, Stills & Nash, Country Joe McDonald, John Sebastian, Santana, contemporary MTV-faves The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, the Cranberries, Metallica, and Aerosmith. The Band turned their set into a Sixties mixer, with guest appearances by Hot Tuna, The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn, and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.
Even Bob Dylan, ostensibly a local, played in Saugerties, accepting an offer he’d declined 25 years earlier.
There was a nod to the nascent EDM scene, Friday’s Ravestock, which included sets by Deee-Lite, the Orb, Obrital, house-music pioneer Frankie Bones, and Aphex Twin, who saw his set cut short after, according to a September 1994 report in Rolling Stone he signed his contract with an alias, thus depriving PolyGram Records the rights to include his music on Woodstock ’94 live releases.
Woodstock ’94 also showcased local music, giving over the massive North Stage on Friday to artists like Futu Futu, the Paul Luke Band, Lunchmeat, Peacebomb, 3, and Abba Rage. Their music shared in common a Catskills core, whistling across bluestone and agreeably meandering like the Esopus Creek.
Woodstock ’94 was special for many reasons. For locals, it brought both revenue and attention (and, sure, traffic) to the area. It carried the peace-and-love vibe toward the end of the century. By contrast to its followup (Woodstock ’99, held on an old Air Force base in Rome, New York), Woodstock ’94 was a triumph. If you need more info on the controversial ’99 iteration, there are two competing documentary series and a popular podcast about it.
The events have started
Let’s head back to the garden, back to the Winston Farm of 1994, back to a wet and sometimes wild three-day weekend in Saugerties. The celebration honoring the 30th anniversary of Woodstock ’94 began revealing itself on a Friday in late May with Groovin’ Around Saugerties, this year’s Chamber of Commerce-backed public street art installation, featuring “hippie buses” designed and decorated by local artists. It runs through Labor Day.
By the time you read this, a few other linked events have already taken place: – a sunset Chamber of Commerce concert at Tina Chorvas Park on June 7, the annual Sawyer Motors car show on July 7, and “Remember Woodstock ’94: Revisiting the spirit of Peace and Music in Saugerties” presented by the Friends of Historic Saugerties at the Saugerties Public Library.
Not to worry. There is still much to come before, during, and immediately after the actual 30th anniversary festival, which took place on August 12-14 of that year.
Here’s the current calendar
July 27 – For the Record at the Lamb Center (41 Market St.) sponsored by Shout Out Saugerties and Emerge Gallery. Exhibit runs through August 25. Free.
August 1 – Images of Woodstock ‘94 by photographer Mike Saporito at Grist Mill Real Estate (265 Main Street). Runs through September 30. Free.
August 2 – Saugerties Chamber of Commerce sunset concert at Tina Chorvas Park. 6:30 p.m. Free
August 3 – Woodstock ‘94 Remembered: an art and music event featuring live music, guest MCs, and a food-truck festival at Cantine Field from 2 to 9 p.m. Free.
August 3 – Woodstock ’94 photo exhibition featuring works by Nancy Donskoj at The Sketchbook, a new gallery annex to the Jane St Art Center at 9 Jane Street. Opening reception is August 10 from 3 to 6 p.m. Exhibit runs through August 31. Free.
August 9 – Woodstock ’94 exhibit in the Dutch Barn at the Kiersted House (119 Main St.), sponsored by the Saugerties Historical Society (119 Main Street). Runs through August 24. Free.
August 12 – Professor Louie and the Crowmatix concert, plus video footage of Woodstock ’94 by Tobe Carey at the Orpheum Theater (156 Main Street). Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets $25 at https://www.upstatefilms.org/woodstock-94-30th-anniversary-saugerties.
August 13 & 14 – Tie Dye Days. Discounts for those wearing tie-dye at select shops, restaurants and bars posting “Tie Dyes Welcomed Here” signs. Free.
August 14 – Tie-dye trivia contest at The Partition (124 Partition Street), featuring live music by Finding Alice. Trivia contest starts at 6:00 p.m. Free.
August 15 – Woodstock ’94 discussion with those who were there at The Partition (124 Partition
Street), followed by a performance by X&Y Experience. Begins at 6 p.m. Free.
August 16 – A video celebration of Woodstock ’94 at The Partition (124 Partition Street), featuring live performances by the Willie Armond Band, and Lara Hope and the Ark-Tones. Begins at 7 p.m. Free.
August 16 – Woodstock ‘94 photographic exhibit, featuring work by Albert Watson, Danny Clinch and Cheryl Dunn at Opus 40 (356 George Sickle Road). Reception and preview from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP required at https://opus40.org/event/woodstock-94-show/. Exhibit runs through September 17. Free.
August 17 – The Paul Luke Band and Joey Eppard at Opus 40 (356 George Sickle Road). Tickets are $20 adv. / $25 gate at https://opus40.org/event/woodstock-94-celebration-with-paul-luke-band-joey-eppard/.
August 17 – Music in the Village at Reis parking lot featuring Roadhouse. 1 to 4 p.m. Free.
August 18 – Music in the Village at Reis Parking lot featuring the Willie Amrod Band, and the Jay Collins Band 2 to 5 p.m. Free.
August 24 & 25 – Hope Rocks Festival at Cantine Field. More information at hoperocksny.com Free.
Sept 6- Saugerties Chamber of Commerce sunset concert at the Kiersted House (119 Main Street) at 6:30 p.m. Free.
Sept 15 – Gala and auction of “Groovin’ Around Saugerties” street art at SPAF (169 Ulster Avenue) starting at 3 p.m. Tickets $35 in advance, $40 at the door.
For additional information on Woodstock ’94 events across Saugerties, visit https://woodstock94celebration.com/
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