About

For three days in August 1969, nearly a half-million young people descended upon Max Yasgur's farm in upstate New York for the rock ‘n’ roll event that defined a generation. Mythologized for 50 years, the filmmakers set the record straight with "Creating Woodstock,” the most comprehensive examination of how the festival came to be using original interviews with key figures, rare archival footage and unearthed photographs.

The founders of Woodstock Ventures - John Roberts, Michael Lang, Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld—along with the best production talent on either coast, including John Morris, Bill Belmont, Mel Lawrence, and Chip Monck recall moments from the initial idea for the festival, to the search for a suitable site and then the race to build a venue, promote the event and, most importantly, book the bands.

Find out why the Grateful Dead wanted a “do over" and Crosby, Stills & Nash weren’t going to show up, why The Who refused to play and Jimi Hendrix almost didn’t make it, and how it turned into a free concert. Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, and Leslie West recount their experiences, including performing on a stage that nearly collapsed, and learn how a 15-year-old girl may have saved the festival from being shut down entirely!

How To Watch

Cast & Crew

Who We Are

Film History

50 years later

"Creating Woodstock" is the culmination of three decades of inquiry, exploration, and discovery of never before seen private film and video footage, uncovered official photography, newspaper editorials and feature articles. The resurrection of original site blueprints and, most importantly, tens of hours of in depth on camera interviews with the very people who made it all happen. Those who were there from the very beginning, to the exact moment the last festival goer stepped from Max Yasgur's once pastural alfalfa field.

Now, archival photographs, rare and never before seen film footage bring to life the more than 70 hours of interviews with the producers, planners, and performers of the Woodstock Festival - some of whom are sadly no longer with us, but all with their own very special perspective on the event that named a generation.

Screenings

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Creating Woodstock's European premiere will be at the massive 4 day Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany on Friday, September 20th - over 40,000 visitors, 600 club concerts, and a distinctly Indie style. It’s been described as the German version of SXSW. Updated programme which includes the film, here: website, instagram and facebook

Our special screening at the Grammy Museum on Aug 12, 2019, plus Q&A panel pictured here from left to right:

• Eric Morris (Film Producer)
• Joel Rosenman (partner in Woodstock Ventures and producer of the original Woodstock festival)
• John Morris (Woodstock Head of Production)
• Bill Belmont (Woodstock Talent Coordinator)
• Bob Santelli (panel moderator & GRAMMY Museum Founding Executive Director)
• Mick Richards (film Director, Woodstock attendee & historian)

A wonderful screening at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts at the 'Woodstock Museum' in celebration of CREATING WOODSTOCK and the 50th Anniversary of the three days that defined a generation.

**TUNE-IN** Director Mick Richards and Joel Rosenman will be a guests on TONIGHT ON KENNEDY on behalf of CREATING WOODSTOCK on Thursday, August 15th at 9:40 PM EST on Fox Business. Please check your local listings!

Enjoy this featurette and interview with Creating Woodstoock Director Mick Richards on HARDBALL with Chris Mathews, discussing the film and the festival

REUTERS: "Mick Richards was among the 450,000 people at Woodstock in 1969, but he did not think much about his "uneventful" 24 hours there until years later, when his teenage son started asking about the festival. That set Richards, a former rock drummer, on a 27-year journey of research, leading to the documentary "Creating Woodstock," now out on DVD and on demand."