Woodstock 50 Has Been Canceled

Update (4/29): The Woodstock 50 organizers have contested the claim that the festival is canceled, telling the Poughkeepsie Journal that "Woodstock 50 vehemently denies the festival's cancellation and legal remedy will [be] sought." At this time, it's unclear if the show will actually go on.

Well, it happened: After a botched ticket roll-out and a brain-bleedingly weird lineup, Woodstock's 50th Anniversary festival has officially been canceled, Billboard reports.

Dentsu Aegis Network, the company footing the bill for the festival, announced the news in a statement Monday, saying that "despite our tremendous investment of time, effort and commitment, we don’t believe the production of the festival can be executed as an event worthy of the Woodstock Brand name while also ensuring the health and safety of the artists, partners and attendees."

The 50th anniversary festival was originally slated to take place August 16-18 in Watkins Glen, New York, a hundred miles from Yasgur's Farm, the site of the 1969 festival. The lineup, which included everybody from Woodstock legacy acts like John Fogerty to Miley Cyrus, Jay Z, and Run the Jewels, was met with a, uh, variety of reactions.

The first real sign of trouble came after the ticket on-sale date got bumped last-minute because the festival hadn't locked down a permit to actually put the thing on yet. Now, it looks like it won't be happening at all.

"As a result and after careful consideration," the statement reads, according to Billboard, "Dentsu Aegis Network’s Amplifi Live, a partner of Woodstock 50, has decided to cancel the festival. As difficult as it is, we believe this is the most prudent decision for all parties involved." Apologies to every 14-year-old out there who just discovered weed and Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and was actually excited about this one. There's always the 75th anniversary.

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