Besides being all about makers of music and art, Woodstock takes it to the meta-level with a celebration of the makers who practice the art of making what the music makers use to make music. The Woodstock Invitational Luthier's Showcase draws hundreds into its "Kingdom of Stringdom."
Retro bohemian-chic accommodations are a Thing these days. There's the Hotel Dylan ("Peace. Love. Stay."), with sleek, impeccable décor by The Novogratz in comfy rooms named for the Band and Janis. There's Woodstock Way ("Live. Love. Listen.") with its own waterfall swimming hole and rooms christened Electric Lady and Lone Wolf. There's the White Dove Rockotel, where owner/artist /designer Erin Cadigan and her co-conspirator, designer/builder Martin Mills, use the 1969 concert as a thematic springboard and host a stream of thoughtful community gatherings. All three are often booked solid.
Beyond bodacious Tinker Street, Woodstock retains a sweet small-town feel. Find that vibe at the 11th annual WAiV (Woodstock Appreciates its Volunteers) festivities, a music-infused community picnic on August 15 that celebrates everyone from Family of Woodstock to the volunteer fire department. (The VFD will finish the party off with a bang with their free fireworks display.)
Woodstock keeps in touch with a global cornucopia of fellow Amazing Places. Come hear what's been going on at the famed Auroville eco-spiritual community of South India at the Community Center on August 19. You can also learn about Auroville, and purchase its handicrafts, at Pondicherry on the Village Green.
Global love flows at Shivastan Poetry Ashram, where you'll find books, art, imports, and antiquities. Your purchase will help Nepal's earthquake victims. Shivastan, something of a Buddhist institution, also hosts sunset bonfire and poetry open mics with potlucks on a regular basis.
Thought you had to venture to Scotland or a Central American jungle to experience archeo-astronomy sites? Think again. The folks at Overlook Mountain Center, stewards of a spot sacred to Native Americans, would love to give you a tour of the mountain's cairns and serpent walls. They'll also take you to tour an abandoned bluestone quarry or on a mind-bending summit hike to the ruins of the Overlook Hotel; hikes and workshops raise funds for preservation and for the interpretive center they'd like to build. Forgot your hiking shoes? Stop in at Pegasus Footwear—problem solved.
Come often enough, or stay long enough, to savor all the latest lunches: the five-star "thoughtful comfort food," including to-die-for mac and cheese, of new favorite spot Shindig; Provisions, also given five stars for its out-of-this-world Reubens and its community-spirited "Pay it Forward" board that feeds the hungry in style; Nana's Creative Café with its succulent artisanal bakery, and the Tinker Taco Lab, handmade Mexican with a mouthwatering locavore twist, all have bevies of admirers.
In Woodstock, festivals don't just happen—they make love. Which breeds new baby festivals. Case in point: StorySlam, the brainchild of Woodstock Writers Festival director Martha Frankel and accomplice Kris Garnier. The latest installment will have you rolling in the aisles of the Bearsville Theatre on September 12.
Looking for the perfect place to catch an evening of intimate small-venue music? The Harmony Café @ Wok 'n Roll has you covered. Feast on Asian and rock out with top-notch local favorites; there's no cover charge here, they pass the hat old-school style.
This summer marks the 20th anniversary celebration of Bird-On-A-Cliff Theater. They're celebrating with "Much Ado About Nothing," this year's Shakespeare, through August 9; starting on August 14, you can catch a stage adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz." There's a suggested donation of just $5.
