Two festivals will mark the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair this year, on the same weekend, around 150 miles apart from each other.

Michael Lang, the co-producer and co-founder of the original 1969 festival, announced Wednesday that he will hold his anniversary show, "Woodstock 50," in Watkins Glen on Aug. 16-18.

"I am delighted," Lang told the Journal. "We've been working on this for a while. It's a lot. What can I say? But I love it."

Last month, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts announced it would hold its own anniversary event, the Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival, on the same weekend at the concert's original Sullivan County site.

The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held Aug. 15-18, 1969, drew hundreds of thousands of people to Bethel, New York, for dozens of musical performances. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Who were among the acts at an event considered by many to be the crowning achievement of the 1960s counterculture.

Lang previously staged Woodstock anniversary concerts in 1994 and 1999.

The musical lineup and ticket information for Lang's Woodstock 50 event will be announced in the coming weeks, the announcement said. A limited number of discounted pre-sale tickets are scheduled to be available to college students age 18-25 by the end of January.

Asked Wednesday about the coming year's busy music festival schedule, which now includes Woodstock 50; the Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival; Bonnaroo in Tennessee; and the LOCKN’ Festival in Virginia, Lang said he believes his gathering has an approach that will engage people and prompt a strong response.

"Aside from being an amazing show with amazing talent, it's also about our lives and getting people involved in the social issues of the day, which are crucial and critical to all of us," he said. "...The mission is to engage people..."

What is planned for Woodstock 50

With three main stages, Woodstock 50 will bring together 60 musical acts, well-known names and emerging talent, from the rock, hip-hop, pop and country music genres, the announcement said. Lang is not working with a corporate promoter to secure musical acts.

“It will be primarily contemporary talent, but the legacy acts will be represented and honored,” Lang said in the announcement.

The festival will be held at Watkins Glen International racetrack. The site in Schuyler County has previously hosted the jamband Phish and in 1973 it hosted the Summer Jam with The Band, Allman Brothers Band and Grateful Dead.

The 1,000-acre site will provide space for tents, RVs, vans, and premium camping options, Lang's announcement said.

Phish was scheduled to return to Watkins Glen International Aug. 17-19, 2018, but the event was canceled because severe flooding from a storm contaminated the local water treatment plant that services water to the Village of Watkins Glen. The water supply was not safe for human consumption.

Lang told the Journal on Wednesday that he will have potable water on site at his 50th anniversary festival.

Woodstock 50 is being produced under license from Woodstock Ventures, which was founded by Lang, Joel Rosenman and the late John Roberts. Those three, along with Artie Kornfeld, produced the 1969 Woodstock festival. Kornfeld will be rejoining the team for Woodstock 50.

The event will also host nonprofit and "cause-driven organizations," along with screenings, panels and art installations, according to the announcement. "Highly-curated neighborhoods" will feature music, comedy and spoken word.

“The Woodstock 50th anniversary will be about sharing an experience with great artists and encouraging people to get educated and involved in the social issues impacting everyone on the planet,” Lang said in the statement.

He continued, “It’s so inspiring to see young people today channeling their passion into causes they care about. That’s something that’s always been a part of Woodstock’s mission, and it’s a big focus at the 50th festival.”

What is planned at Bethel Woods

In announcing its festival in late December, Bethel Woods said it is presenting the show in association with Live Nation and INVNT, a branding and live storytelling agency.

Bethel Woods described its festival as a “pan-generational music, culture and community event” featuring live music performances and TED-style talks “from leading futurists and retro-tech experts.”

Information regarding musical acts, tickets and non-musical events will be released soon, the organization said. Bethel Woods said for more than a year it has been planning events to mark the anniversary, including the festival.

“As the stewards of this historic site, we remain committed to preserving this rich history and spirit and to educating and inspiring new generations to contribute positively to the world through music, culture and community,” said Bethel Woods CEO Darlene Fedun.

In addition to the existing venues at Bethel Woods, entertainment villages and a number of custom-built performance areas will be created for the festival.

John W. Barry: jobarry@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4822, Twitter: @JohnBarryPoJo

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