Woodstock 50 picks Merriweather Post Pavilion for venue

Imagine a free music festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the nation’s largest live performance events. That’s about as close as anyone may come to experiencing Woodstock 50 Washington.

Festival organizers last week identified Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, as the new venue for the commemorative event to be held Aug. 16-18 — exactly 50 years after the original Woodstock Music & Art Fair swamped a sleepy rural community in upstate New York.

And the Woodstock 50 lineup of performers announced in March — including original Woodstock artists Santana and David Crosby, along with modern acts like Jay Z and Miley Cyrus — has dwindled sharply since organizers were unable to secure permits in New York amid budget woes with the event’s production company.

Organizers released all artists from their contracts to perform after many had threatened to pull out from the festival, citing concerns about breach of contract because of the change in location.

In a written statement, the operator of Merriweather Post Pavilion said the venue will be ready — if and when the organizers contact them.

“Woodstock 50 approached Merriweather about hosting their event here in Columbia, Md.,” said Seth Hurwitz, chairman of I.M.P. and owner of the 9:30 Club. “The Woodstock folks are working on securing the artists now. If the bands come, we’ll produce the show. We’re looking forward to getting an update as soon as Woodstock 50 has one.”

The organizers did not respond to email requests for comments.

However, Woodstock.com still links the commemorative event to the original site of Watkins Glen, New York. Merriweather Post Pavilion or Columbia, Maryland, appear nowhere on the website.

As for its lineup of performers, the site says: “As our celebration evolves, we are committed to bringing unique voices to the stage. Stay tuned for updates as we strive to create an event rooted in peace, love and music that can be a force for positive change in the world.” Not a single act is listed.

Meanwhile, the website’s countdown clock ticks away the minutes to the start of the festival — about 17 days and 17 hours, at the time of this report.

Officials in Howard County, where the pavilion is located, are stoked about Woodstock coming to Maryland.

“Holding Woodstock 50 at Merriweather is a remarkable opportunity to bring a piece of American history to our community this summer,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said in a statement. “When we heard that there was an opportunity to save this festival, we jumped at the chance.”

If Woodstock 50 does happen, it will be a much smaller affair than the free three-day concert in 1969 that drew 500,000 people to a field in Bethel, New York, and created a variety of logistical nightmares, particularly with traffic.

Merriweather Post Pavilion can accommodate a maximum of 50,000 people, according to a venue spokesperson.

Organizers have said they will give away tickets to Woodstock 50 that will allow ticketholders access to only one day of the three-day festival.

“I am optimistic for the success of the festival as long as everyone stays safe and treats our neighborhood and community with respect,” said Howard County Council member Deb Jung, who represents the district with which the pavilion stands.

Mr. Ball said he is looking forward to working with the event organizers to complete the permit process to make it a safe and memorable time.

“Howard County is no stranger to hosting big concerts, from Virgin FreeFest to JazzFest, and more,” the county executive said. “We will continue checking all our boxes to ensure we put on an event of the caliber this historic festival deserves.”