Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Focus Features
Last month, it was reported that Woodstock 50 — the much beleaguered revival of the original Woodstock festival — had been forced to downgrade its originally 150,000 person festival to a 50,000 person venue, and apply for a new site at Vernon Downs in the town of Vernon. It would now appear that application was denied, according to a new statement released earlier today by the Woodstock 50 team.
“Woodstock 50 is disappointed that the Town of Vernon has passed up the opportunity to hold the historic 50th Anniversary Festival by denying our robust and thoughtful proposal,” the statement reads. “We regret that those in Vernon who supported Woodstock have been deprived of the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of the rebirth of a cultural peace movement that changed the world in 1969 and is what the world needs now. We want to thank the artists who stood by us. We are grateful for the support of Vernon Downs and its generous owner Jeffrey Gural.”
This is the second venue Woodstock 50 has lost, after losing its original venue of Watkins Glen. In May, Woodstock sued its original investor Dentsu Aegis, accusing the company of theft and sabotage; the New York Supreme Court ruled that the company was in breach of contract by withdrawing $17.8 million from Woodstock accounts but didn’t order it to return the money.
Listen to The FADER's weekly playlist of songs you need in your life