Woodstock 50: Town of New Host Site Denies Festival Permit Application
Woodstock 50’s organizers recieved some more bad news yesterday (July 9), when the town of Vernon, N.Y. denied the application for the anniversary festival to take place at local venue Vernon Downs.
The Poughkeepsie Journal, Variety and Syracuse.com all report that last night at Vernon’s town meeting, townspeople were concerned about hosting the festival. Their concerns ranged from the potential for vandalism in the to the lack of planning details in Woodstock 50’s permit application.
Vernon town attorney Vincent Rossi said, “Each application submitted, one for each of the three days, was one page long with no supporting materials.” Oneida County emergency management director Kevin Revere, meanwhile, said, “Any emergency management director will say there isn’t enough time to do this properly.”
Woodstock 50, somehow, still remains defiant in the face of this latest setback and said the following in a statement to The Poughkeepsie Journal:
“In response to the denial of an event permit by the Town of Vernon, Woodstock 50 believes certain political forces may be working against the resurrection of the festival. Local reports claim Woodstock’s filing for the permit was ‘incomplete’ but that is not the case. Woodstock 50 officials were informed by the Town of Vernon that most questions had been answered and asked only that Woodstock submit medical, safety/security and traffic plans by this past Sunday, which it did. With a venue chosen, financing assembled and many of the artists supporting Woodstock’s 50th anniversary event, the organizers are hopeful that their appeal and reapplication tonight will prevail without further political interference.”
Woodstock 50 President Gregory Peck issued his own personal statement that addresses the various traffic and safety issues the festival would bring. It reads as follows:
“We understand the public safety and traffic concerns of the local community. We have been working diligently over the last several weeks to secure the permits needed to hold the festival, and will continue to work with Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officials to present a cohesive safety and traffic plan that will be satisfactory in addressing the concerns. We appreciate the honest feedback from the Town of Vernon and will continue to address their comments as we enter the final planning phases for Woodstock 50. We are confident that this careful planning and consideration of community concerns will result in a safe, world-class Festival.”
Woodstock 50 is still set to take place August 16-18. Tickets have yet to go on sale.
