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August 07, 2002 Will the Woodstock pilgrims be landing? By Steve Israel Times Herald-Record sisrael@th-record Bethel – Like pilgrims to the Holy Land, peace and love types journey here on the anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock festival. But there's no camping on the rolling hills that will be home to a $40 million performing arts center. So to get back to the garden, thousands of Woodstockers do the next best thing. They head up the road to the farm of the man who owned the hallowed Sullivan County land, Max Yasgur. But those Yasgur Farm gatherings may be illegal. There's an injunction against the farm's owners, Roy Howard and Jeryl Abramson, from hosting the bashes that still feature all the Woodstock trappings – tie-dye flags flying from teepees, porta-johns and "show love" signs. No matter. When it comes to Woodstock, zoning isn't high on a pilgrim's priority list. "How dare the powers that be dare to say we can't assemble in Bethel," writes Yippie Aron [pieman] Kay on the Internet. "It's like saying the Jews can't go to Jerusalem." It's also illegal to promote a gathering for the anniversary of the most famous rock concert in the world, which starts next week and runs from Aug. 15-17. So Woodstocker Wayne G writes on the Internet that he "can not tell you to come to Bethel on the reunion weekend of Aug. 17..." Then he adds this Woodstocker version of a wink. "But if anyone would like to attend the Friends of Yasgur's Farm meeting to discuss saving the Woodstock site from development, I would guess that would be a valid reason to be on the farm the weekend of Aug. 17." There's one other thing about the 33rd anniversary, Wayne G writes. "I would guess you should bring things ... as if you were camping out for 3 more days of Peace Love and Music..." Not illegal things, he writes. Not glass things either; things like firewood and bug spray. The state police and sheriff's department haven't heard anything about the gathering. But they say they'll be ready. The state police will add troopers that weekend – at taxpayer expense. Town of Bethel Constable Ray Neuenhoff is always ready for these Woodstock weekends. He wears the official Bethel Constable Woodstock shoulder patch with the peace, music, dove and guitar logo. As for the hosts of the annual pilgrimage back to the garden that's really up the road from the original garden? "Nothing's going on right now," says Abramson. "But my life changes day to day." 40 Mulberry Street * PO Box 2046 * Middletown, NY 10940 Telephone 845-341-1100 or 800-295-2181 outside the Middletown, N.Y., area. For optimal viewing experience, click here. Copyright Orange County Publications. All rights reserved.
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