The promoters of Woodstock 50 have been denied a permit to stage the event at Vernon Downs in Vernon Downs, New York.
Oneida County Administrator Anthony Picente Jr. told Varietythat the promoters have five days to appeal the decision, but that “what they have submitted to date has not met many of the requirements” to stage the festival and it taking place on the race track grounds seem “highly unlikely.” Picente said, “We could have done this with a year or 16 months advance [planning], but to do it in three to six weeks is really a near impossibility from a public safety and health standpoint. As someone who as here for 1999 [for Woodstock 99 in nearby Rome, N.Y.], some names have changed but it’s largely the same situation."
A statement issued by the promoters spokesperson Sallie Hofmeister said, "Woodstock 50 believes certain political forces may be working against the resurrection of the festival." When asked by the Syracuse Post-Standardto speak further about who those forces might be and what they were doing to stop the festival, Hofmeister replied, “That’s all we are saying at this point.”
The decision comes after a "raucous" town meeting about the permit was held Monday night, with all the residents speaking against the event. The festival was called a “recipe for disaster” by local head of emergency services.
It's just five weeks until festival is scheduled to happen the weekend of August 16th and right now Woodstock 50 has no venue and hasn't put any tickets on sale. The lineup is scheduled to include Imagine Dragons,Dead & Company,The Killers and many others.