The original Woodstock Music and Art Fair was a pivotal moment in music history. Often regarded as one of the most impactful events of the 1960s counterculture movement, Woodstock attracted an estimated 400,000 attendees to Bethel, New York on August 15-18, 1969. With over 30 musical acts performing on the festival’s main stage, Woodstock became synonymous with the messages of peace, love, and music. However, behind the scenes of this monumental event was a huge organizational effort, including details like ticket pricing and distribution. So how much did it cost to attend the original Woodstock festival? Let’s take a closer look at the history behind Woodstock’s admission policy and ticket pricing.
The Admission Policy
In the initial planning stages, Woodstock’s organizers intended to sell 50,000 tickets at $7 each in advance, and charge $10 at the gate. However, as the event grew larger than anticipated in the weeks leading up to the festival, the admission policy changed dramatically. With a crowd of nearly half a million converging on the rural town of Bethel, there was no feasible way to regulate ticket sales. As more and more people arrived without tickets, the organizers officially declared Woodstock a “free concert” on opening day. No admission fee was charged at the festival gates, and ticket holders were no longer granted priority access.
While this “free” admission policy was born out of necessity, it aligned with Woodstock’s vision of promoting musical community, togetherness, and the counterculture spirit. Allowing unlimited, free access enabled people from all backgrounds to participate in the historic event. However, this financial loss was one factor that contributed to the festival’s complex financial troubles post-event.
Advance Ticket Prices
Although tickets ultimately went unused at the gates, there were advance tickets sold in the months leading up to Woodstock. From the time tickets went on sale in early 1969 until sales were halted a few weeks pre-festival, the official prices were:
Single-Day Tickets
– Friday, August 15: $7
– Saturday, August 16: $7
– Sunday, August 17: $7
3-Day Weekend Ticket
– Friday to Sunday access: $18
Given that single-day tickets were $7 each, the 3-day ticket offered a modest discount at $18 total. By today’s standards, these 1969 ticket prices would be equivalent to approximately $50 for one-day and $135 for a three-day pass.
While the actual number of advance tickets sold is uncertain, estimates over the years have ranged anywhere from 140,000 to 186,000 total tickets. At an average advance sale price of $15 per ticket, estimated revenue from pre-festival sales was between $2.1 and $2.8 million.
The Counterfeiting Impact
Leading up to the festival, problems with counterfeit tickets created additional confusion around Woodstock’s admission policy. At the time, security features like barcodes and holograms were not yet used on tickets. With printed Wei-Go concert tickets easy to replicate, approximately 100,000-250,000 fake Woodstock tickets were estimated to be in circulation.
The widespread counterfeiting made organizers unable to honor their initial plan to grant gate admission only to ticket holders. Again, this contributed to the “free” entrance policy as crowds descended regardless of ticket authenticity.
Other Financial Factors
Aside from advance tickets, Woodstock was funded through other major financial sources:
Investors
The principal organizers – John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfield, and Michael Lang – secured over $2 million from private investors to finance Woodstock Ventures. This provided vital funding for expenses like the festival construction, booking fees, and permits.
Vendors & Sponsorships
Food, beverage, and merchandise vendors at Woodstock paid a fee to set up shop at the festival, contributing approximately $1.3 million in revenue. Sponsorship deals were also made with a few corporate and music industry partners. For example, Warner Bros. Records reportedly contributed $15,000 to have the stage named “The Warner Sound Stage.”
However, the costs involved with equipment, sanitation, permits, artist bookings, and more ultimately exceeded budgets and revenue projections. Woodstock organizers incurred deep debts post-event. Though the exact numbers are uncertain, some estimates state losses between $1.3 to $3.4 million.
Refunds and Receipts
Following the festival weekend, Woodstock Ventures did mail refund checks to those who had purchased advance tickets but were unable to use them at the gate. However, collecting receipts and verifying requests was a lengthy process given the scope and disorganization. Most ticket holders who applied did eventually receive refunds over the next several months.
Ironically, these refunded tickets would become highly valued memorabilia of the historic event. In later decades, authentic Woodstock tickets have been appraised between $500 to well over $1000 based on condition. Unused tickets and travel stubs have even been put on display in museums honoring the cultural impact of Woodstock and the 1960s.
The Legacy of Woodstock Ticketing
While Woodstock’s “free” admission and lack of ticket control seemed chaotic at the time, this became part of the festival’s legendary and symbolic status. Rather than being defined by commercial sales, corporate sponsorship, and rigid entry, Woodstock was an organic community experience open to the masses. Counterculture youth saw beauty in the free-flowing energy and disorder.
As music festivals have evolved into a booming industry in recent decades, Woodstock still represents an ethos apart from the commercial side of live events. Modern festivals rake in profits from multi-tiered pricing, VIP packages, and brand sponsorships, while Woodstock embodied a utopian ideal free from most financial constraints. However, this egalitarian access did contribute to its eventual monetary collapse and debts.
The original Woodstock’s loose admission policy was truly a product of its specific time and place. While the lack of controlled ticketing caused logistical issues, it served the greater purpose of opening the festival doors to a widespread audience during a transformational shift in music and culture. Attendees were able to freely share in the spectacle without the barriers of high ticket costs, entry turnstiles, and incrementally priced access passes. In this way, Woodstock achieved its ambitious goal of bringing people together for “three days of peace and music.”
Conclusion
Woodstock’s originally priced tickets at $7 for single-day passes and $18 for a full weekend may seem low by today’s festival standards. However, considering inflation and era-specific context, these were appropriately priced for a large music gathering in 1969. Intensive planning issues, uncontrolled crowds, and idealistic principles led Woodstock to ultimately remove gate ticket checking and embrace free admission. While financially detrimental, the open policy fit the utopian ideals of unity. Inadvertently, the lack of controlled ticketing allowed the massive gathering of counterculture youth to become legendary. As free-spirited Baby Boomers flocked in with or without tickets, they became part of a momentous happening that still resonates as a pinnacle of 1960s music, fashion, and anti-establishment ethos.