Drive, freedom, rock 'n' roll: 600,000 people at the Watkins Glen Summer Jam in 1973
Rock music fans are free and easy-going individuals. Rock festivals are always crowded and filled with bright emotions and original characters. One of the most famous such events is the Watkins Glen Summer Jam festival, which is held annually in New York. In 1973, it attracted a record number of participants: 600,000 people came to have fun with the music of their favorite cult bands.
Feel the atmosphere of freedom and drive, looking at the photos taken at the festival, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
In the summer of 1973, one of the most grandiose musical events of that time, the Summer Jam festival, took place in the American city of Watkins Glen. This event gathered about 600 thousand people at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Raceway, turning it into one of the largest mass gatherings in the history of the United States. Initially, the organizers expected only 150 thousand visitors, but the popularity of the performing bands attracted many more fans.
The festival brought together three legendary rock bands: The Allman Brothers Band, the Grateful Dead and The Band. Each of them presented unforgettable performances to the audience. The Grateful Dead delighted fans with two sets, The Allman Brothers Band played a long program, and The Band closed the event with a bright performance.
Streams of free and bright youth rushed to the festival to have fun with their favorite hits, find new friends and adventures on their shaggy heads. A traffic jam formed in the place of a huge crowd of people: many simply abandoned their cars in the middle of the road and walked several kilometers to get to their destination.
Despite the enormous logistical problems and the miles-long traffic jams that forced many people to abandon their cars and walk to the venue, the festival was held in a calm atmosphere. This event became an important milestone in the history of musical culture, demonstrating the incredible popularity of rock music and setting new standards for holding large musical events.
Interestingly, the crowd at Summer Jam was even larger than the famous Woodstock festival of 1969, which was also famous for its size and cultural significance.
Many people showed up to the festival without tickets. Although tickets were officially sold at $10, crowds of spectators began arriving days before the event, many of whom forced their way into the area for free.
The day before the official start of the festival, a sound check was held, which was also attended by a huge number of people. It practically turned into a full-fledged concert.
The circuit was filled with a sea of people. The fans who found themselves at the back of the crowd were unable to see the stage or their favorite performers.
The festival featured The Allman Brothers Band, the Grateful Dead, and The Band, whose immense popularity in the early 1970s attracted fans from all over the country.
The sudden storm, downpour and lightning did not frighten the heated audience: on the contrary, they cooled down the overly hot heads a little. Even despite the mud and slush, the spectators enjoyed the music and the atmosphere, which added a special flavor to the event.
The day was not without an accident. A parachutist jumped from a plane that was launching pyrotechnics, and during the jump his suit caught fire, and the man died.
Rock is always alive: looking at these photos, you understand that it really is. The flight of freedom, music and feelings at the Watkins Glen Summer Jam festival continues to this day. Every year, thousands of rock fans head to the place where their ancestors, the rockers of the 1970s, once had a blast.