BETHEL, NY (May 17, 2018) – To celebrate the tenth birthday of The Museum at Bethel Woods, the cultural center is hosting a FREE day of family fun on Saturday, June 2 – a decade to the day since the award-winning museum opened its doors. The Museum’s 10th Anniversary Celebration & Open House kicks off at 11 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m.
Festivities are free, family-friendly and will include guided museum tours, interpretive walks on the Woodstock festival historic site, a variety of activities and games, collaborative art projects, and live music by Little Sparrow, Clear Horizons and John Reddan. The Museum will offer free admission for Sullivan Country residents and discounted for all other.
In conjunction with The Museum’s anniversary, Bethel Woods will also debut its new outdoor art installation, Doors to Originality, inspired by the 2018 Special Exhibit, Peter Max: Early Paintings. Using Max’s cosmic ’60s art style as inspiration, twelve regional artists have created a series of Peter Max-inspired designs on vintage wooden doors which have been placed throughout the Bethel Woods campus. On June 2, Museum Director and Senior Curator Wade Lawrence will host a guided walking tour through the doors, introducing the work of each of the artists who participated in the installation. Visitors will then be able to listen to the artists speak on the inspiration behind their designs and answer any questions the public may have on their work. This free outdoor installation will be open to the public until November.
After being inspired by these local artists, the community is invited to create their own original artwork in the Artist Hub, located in the Market Shed. Projects include a collaborative project between guests and the “Doorway” artists, a family make-n-take activity, and a self-directed “inspiration station,” where people have the freedom to create what they please.
At 12:15pm ’69 Woodstock festival photographer Elliott Landy will be onsite for an exclusive and exciting presentation in the Event Gallery. Elliott Landy: Woodstock Vision, The Spirit of a Generation, followed by a book signing outside the Bindy Bazaar Museum Shop at 1:15pm. The intimate program is free and open to the public.
Later that evening, Bethel Woods’ new Gather + Give series kicks off with a Summer Solstice Silent Disco in collaboration with Angry Orchard. Gather + Give is a new series of creatively fueled gatherings in support of Bethel Woods’ mission to inspire, empower and educate. Proceeds help to support the organization’s arts & humanities programs. Beginning at 7pm, party-goers will use wireless headphones to dance to their favorite music switching between three different types of music, while enjoying refreshing Angry Orchard Cider, snacking on lite fare from Benji & Jake’s, Organic Fairy Floss, Great Cape Baking and Lemon Love. Plus, there will be oversized lawn games and art making projects. Tickets to this 21+ event are $40 and include 2 drinks and headphones. Tickets can be purchased at www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.
Over the past decade, The Museum at Bethel Woods has welcomed visitors from near and far who have been inspired, educated and empowered by the lessons of the Sixties and their relevance today This not-for-profit cultural center has provided the region with a critical economic stimulus while preserving and interpreting the National Register Historic Site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival, and providing arts and humanities programming to local families, friends and youth.
For more information about Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, please visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.
###
About Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts inspires, educates, and empowers individuals through the arts and humanities by presenting a diverse selection of culturally-rich performances, popular artists, and community and educational programming. Located 90 miles from New York City at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, NY, the lush 800-acre campus includes a Pavilion Stage amphitheater with seating for 15,000, an intimate 440-seat indoor Event Gallery, the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods, and a Conservatory for arts education programming.
Through the in-depth study and exhibition of the social, political, and cultural events of the 1960s, as well as the preservation of the historic site of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, Bethel Woods educates individuals about the issues and lessons of the decade while inspiring a new generation to contribute positively to the world around them. The not-for-profit organization relies on the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations to develop and sustain programs that improve the quality of life in the region and beyond.
For more information please visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.