San Diego celebrates 40th anniversary of Woodstock

Woodstock poster (From 'dbking' via Flikr)

Forty years ago, the tiny farm town of Bethel became the second largest city in the state of New York. Planners for the 1969 festival (that almost didn’t happen) said they expected 50,000 people to show up, but what they ended up getting were hundreds of thousands for a three-day music festival that became a staple event for a generation.

And on this 40th anniversary weekend, the film Taking Woodstock (Ang Lee) is being released nationwide. The film follows the life of Elliot Tiber, the permit-holder for the festival and one of the key organizers of the event.

But you don’t just have to head to the theatre to get those flashbacks … ahem, memories … to come flooding back. All you have to do is head to La Mesa tomorrow, where there will be the “Summer of Love 40th Anniversary Musical Tribute to Woodstock.”

The event takes places at the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center and will go from noon to 6 pm.

Students from the Paul Green School of Rock Music will be on hand to perform covers of some of the 1969 event’s best acts — including Janis Joplin, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Jimmy Hendrix, among others.

There will also be performances from the West Coast Touring All-Stars and the Kroc Kids Junior Theatre Company, in addition to arts, crafts, a raffle and food.

Proceeds benefit the scholarship fund at the Paul Green School of Rock Music.

Summer of Love 40th Anniversary Musical Tribute to Woodstock
Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center
6845 University Avenue
La Mesa
619.287.5762
www.kroccenter.org
www.schoolofrock.com