COLUMBIA, Md. — Howard County is in the final stages of bringing the 50th Anniversary Woodstock Music Festival to Merriweather Post Pavilion later this summer.
On Thursday evening, County Executive Calvin Ball confirmed he was working and negotiating extensively in partnership with Merriweather Post Pavilion to officially bring the iconic music festival to Columbia.
Originally set for August 16 through 19 in Watkins Glen, New York, the festival was reportedly forced to begin looking for a new home after they were unsuccessful in finding a venue to hold the event.
According to Ball, Woodstock promoters first reached out to Merriweather about possibly hosting the event sometime in mid-August.
Though Merriweather does not have the capacity to hold the large size crowd Woodstock usually generates, Ball says the County is experienced in hosting concerts with tens of thousands of people, and their investment in Merriweather and Symphony Woods would allow the facility to absorb such crowds.
If made official, Woodstock, known for it's peace, love, and music since 1969 would be coming to a venue in Merriweather that is familiar with legends of the 60's having hosted the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead in the past.
Asked if Merriweather would be the permanent home to Woodstock, Ball replied, "I think we will take it day by day, step by step, but I think right now the step in front of us is the Woodstock 50 and tying that down if possible."
