Trying to Capture Lightning in a Bottle

I am sure you've heard the old saying....trying to recreate some memorable event can be like trying to capture lightning in a bottle. Well....this is true of my return to Bethel, NY to celebrate the 38th anniversary of Woodstock.

Times change....In my naivety I believed that my second trip back to Yasgur's farm would yield some wonderful experience...another inkling of what the original 3 days in the garden event might have been like. Well....just like most things around me....the corporate world has gobbled up yet another piece of history and is now marketing it back to us.

Yasgur's farm is now "Bethel Woods Center for the Arts". The perfectly paved roads leading to a fenced off parking lot and well-maintained sodded hillside that empties into a "4,800-seat copper-covered pavilion". This well-oiled machine of a venue has all the amenities that were missing at the original festival site....plenty of toilets (well-staffed for cleanliness and your satisfaction), a huge food concession stand with Slush Puppy frozen drinks and lots of Budweiser beer choices so you can enjoy the show, and even fixed ATM machines around the complex so you never have to worry that you will run out of money! Everything is at our fingertips...all you need is plenty of money to be able to enjoy the show.

Needless to say the show was a disappointment. Richie Havens was the opening act and it was a good performance, but the turnout was very low and the weather really changed quickly from a mild temperate evening to high gusting winds, frequent showers and a drop in temperature at least 5 degrees in a matter of minutes. By the time Arlo began I was freezing and couldn't stay outdoors. The policy of the venue is that once you leave you may not return. Harsh conditions to say the least.

I found the real party and it wasn't at Bethel Woods...it was at Hector's Inn...just down the road. A bunch of people (some of which were at the original festival 39 yrs. ago) were gathered at this groovy local bar to celebrate with free music (anyone could join in and play or sing with the bands) and they didn't mind if you brought your own beverages. The owner, Jerry, was a kinda stodgy old character & even kinda acted like he wasn't in the least bit interested in what was going on....but at some point I flashed my tanned "betty's" at him and he came alive after that! Now, he could hear the conversations and even chime in. I swear you'd have thought I did well more than flashed the old guy but hey...sometimes it doesn't take much to make someone happy...ya know? : )

It was an all-nighter and there was plenty of opportunities to "keep warm" that night, but I thought it better to pass on the kind offers.

Yes, Hector's Inn is the place to visit the next time you're passing through Bethel, NY....friendlier, cheaper, and real-down-home hippie folks!!! But for God's sake...don't let the word out.....otherwise it will end up being "Hector's Inn Center for the Arts" !!!!!

PEACE & LOVE !!!

Emma : )