BETHEL — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts marked its 20th anniversary Friday, July 24 with free music, family activities, local vendors and fireworks across the historic grounds.
Guests began arriving when the gates opened at 2 p.m., moving between performances on the Horizon and Community stages, art activities, food vendors and information tables before Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone closed the evening.
Among those attending were Barbara Reiman of Monticello and Jeanne Sutera of The Villages, Florida, who returns to Sullivan County each July.
“We’ve always loved Bethel Woods,” Reiman said as the pair took in the festivities. “It’s just a beautiful place.”
Nearby, visitors contributed to a commemorative mural while others wrote their thoughts on what peace means to them.
“We just want to bring the community together through our art and creativity,” said Abby Alzamora of Bethel Woods.
Local companies, craft vendors and community organizations were spread throughout the grounds, giving guests opportunities to shop, learn about local services and connect with groups from across the region.
Among the exhibitors was Crystal Run Healthcare, where staff members spoke with guests about a new mammography machine and the importance of regular breast cancer screenings.
“Community, first and foremost — community engagement,” said Joan Patterson, district manager for Crystal Run Healthcare.
Patterson joined Kelly Pizarro, manager of women’s imaging, and Holly Frank, director of diagnostic imaging, in answering questions about mammograms and encouraging guests to stay current with recommended screenings.
The celebration also highlighted Bethel Woods’ work with young musicians. The Rock Camp Ambassadors took the Horizon Stage with a set spanning generations of music, including Nirvana’s “Drain You,” MGMT’s “Kids” and Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People.”
The Ambassadors program brings together musicians ages 14 and older who previously attended Bethel Woods’ P.L.A.Y. Rock Camp and were selected to continue developing their skills through ensemble performance, songwriting, recording and live appearances.
Among the performers was singer Eléwà Torbert, 14, of Monticello, who joined the Ambassadors this year after attending two Bethel Woods Rock Camps.
“You do have to practice. You do have to put a lot of effort in, but I think the result of just going on stage and having so many people there — it’s really fun,” Torbert said.
She said one of the most rewarding parts of the program is sharing the experience with other young musicians.
“These are the developmental years of our life,” she said. “To share it with all these people that are also my age going through the same experience, it’s amazing.”
Riley Abato, 14, of Barryville, performed on bass during the Rock Camp Ambassadors’ set despite picking up the instrument only about a month earlier. A drummer for years, Abato said the program gives young musicians a rare opportunity to develop together.
“There’s not a lot around here, especially with musicians,” Abato said. “It gives us a chance to grow as musicians.”
The Community Stage also showcased musicians beginning the next chapter of their musical journeys. Performing under the newly adopted name Tres Leches Jazz Band, recent Monticello High School graduates Tobias Brown, Kenny Walz and Jasper Hance brought jazz to the anniversary celebration.
The trio had been playing together for about six months, though each had studied music independently for years. Brown, 18, plans to study music production engineering at SUNY Broome. Walz, 18, will study computer engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, while Hance, 17, plans to study welding and fabrication engineering at Pennsylvania College of Technology.
The musicians said they hoped to continue performing together after graduation and were looking for additional venues.
“We’re all on different tracks, but we’d like to keep music a part of our life,” Walz said.
The Beach Boys had originally been scheduled to headline the anniversary celebration, but the band postponed its performance shortly before the event. Bethel Woods continued with the celebration and offered free admission throughout the day.
Susan Russ, senior director of marketing and communications for Bethel Woods, said the organization had only a few hours to decide how to proceed and less than two days to put the new plan into action.
“Our sponsors and underwriters were very supportive of the new plan, so the staff were off and running to get the word out, refund ticket sales, and make all the adjustments necessary to pull off a flawless event,” Russ said.
She said the celebration exceeded expectations despite the last-minute change.
“We were all overwhelmed with gratitude in watching generations of community members and supporters, aged practically zero to 100, enjoying themselves across the campus,” Russ said.
Russ said the event reflected how Bethel Woods has grown from the Gerry family’s original vision into a cultural institution that has welcomed nearly five million visitors over the past 20 years.
“The vision was to create a catalyst for growth in a region that once thrived on tourism, to bring music back to the site of Woodstock, and to provide meaningful access to the arts,” Russ said. “Being able to celebrate this milestone with the community is incredibly meaningful for us.”
She said the change in plans also created opportunities to add more local musicians to the schedule.
“In looking out over the crowd, it didn’t feel like people were disappointed that plans changed,” Russ said. “It felt like they were genuinely happy to be together.”
As daylight faded, guests gathered before the Horizon Stage for Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, whose mix of British Invasion hits, audience banter and classic British humor brought the anniversary celebration to its finale.
Between songs, Noone kept the crowd laughing with self-deprecating jokes and stories from the band’s decades on the road. Introducing one song, he quipped, “We came to America ... and here we are more than 20 years later.”
He also encouraged guests to sing along on classics including “There’s a Kind of Hush,” “Silhouettes,” “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and “I’m Henry VIII, I Am.”
Russ said Noone enthusiastically embraced the headlining role, even improvising a 20th song for Bethel Woods.
At one point, Noone stepped off the stage and into the crowd, greeting concertgoers while the band played on. The evening concluded with a fireworks display over Bethel Woods, bringing the venue’s 20th anniversary celebration to a close.