© 2025 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Woodstock 50 again denied permit with festival weeks away

woodstock.com

VERNON, N.Y. (AP) — Woodstock 50 organizers have again been denied a permit to hold a three-day festival at an upstate New York horse track.

Town of Vernon officials say Monday the permit application for a festival Aug. 16-18 at the Vernon Downs racetrack and casino was filed too late and was rife with problems.

Vernon became a possible alternative site for Woodstock 50 after the original venue, Watkins Glen International, pulled out.

But local officials have repeatedly denied permit applications amid concerns about planning for up to 65,000 people coming to this largely rural area on short notice.

A spokeswoman for Woodstock 50 said they had no comment.

The festival has faced a series of setbacks, including the losses of a financial partner and a production company.

Copyright 2019 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.