It’s hard to believe we will celebrate our 10th anniversary this year. It all began on July 1, 2006 starting with 9 memorable performances and nearly 60,000 visitors. Today, with main stage performances, festivals, event gallery performances, education, community outreach and museum programs, special exhibits, and films and workshops, there seems to be something happening almost every day.
We opened the Museum at Bethel Woods in June of 2008 and shortly thereafter in 2009, celebrated the 40th anniversary of the historic Woodstock Music and Art Fair, welcoming back Richie Havens in our Global Moment. Then in 2014, we marked the 45th Anniversary with the first ever camping experience since August of 1969.
In 2010, we celebrated our fifth anniversary and our 500,000th guest. This coming year, we are well on our way to topping 2,250,000 guests. And since 2006, 20 of the 32 artists that performed in 1969 have graced on of our stages including Carlos Santana, Richie Havens, Michael Shrieve, Leslie West, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and Joe Cocker.
Since 2008, growth in our education and outreach programming has been a major priority for us. Each year, we continue to offer immersive arts and humanities programming for children, young adults, and families. In 2012, we transitioned from being a project of the private, non-profit Gerry Foundation to a public charity. With the creation of our founding governing board, and a 2-year process to develop of our strategic plan, inclusive of mission, vision, values, and core strategies, we are poised to take the next decade with a carefully planned approach of expanding our outreach, education programs and our impact as a whole.
We are very proud of our dual legacy….one of peace, love, and music nearly 50 years ago with hundreds of thousands gathered to celebrate individuality, expression, and social consciousness…combined with the legacy of our founder, Alan Gerry, a native of Sullivan County, a believer in Sullivan County, and an individual who demonstrates graciousness and has instilled generosity in us all.
There is much, much more to come and we look forward to sharing the future with you.