Laurel Pop Festival was warm-up act for Woodstock in July 1969

The second half of the 1960s ushered in the era of music festivals — culminating with the granddaddy of them all, Woodstock, in August 1969. Other festivals that enjoyed huge attendance that year included pop festivals in Atlanta and Texas, 140,000 attendees each; the notorious Altamont Speedway Festival, 120,000; and the Newport Jazz Festival, 78,000.

By Kevin Leonard

December 29, 2012