Woodstock 99 was a music festival held at the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, upstate New York, from July 23 to 25, 1999. The festival was intended to recreate the hippie spirit of the legendary 1969 music festival, but it ended up being a disaster of arson, riots, and sexual assault. Here are some of the things that happened at Woodstock 99:
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Location: The festival was held at a decommissioned military base with a huge lot full of asphalt and unkempt grass, which was unsuitable for a three-day music campout.
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Heat: The festival took place in late July, and temperatures reached nearly 40 degrees Celsius. The festival grounds provided little to no shade, and festivalgoers had limited access to water. Small bottles of water were priced at $4 each, and the company supplier was rumored to be co-owned by the promoter.
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Sanitation: The festival had a lack of available water and poor sanitation, which led to the spread of illness among festivalgoers. Human feces reportedly leaked into the drinking and shower water.
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Lineup: The festival lineup consisted mainly of heavy-metal and nu-metal acts, which was different from the original Woodstock that featured peace and love, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Grateful Dead, Santana, and hippies mobilizing against the Vietnam War.
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Violence: The festival was marred by violence, arson, and riots. Bonfires broke out throughout the crowd, vehicles were flipped and set ablaze, vendor booths and merch tents were destroyed, and sound towers were reduced to smithereens.
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Sexual assault: There were reports of numerous rapes and acts of sexual abuse and harassment that took place over the three days of the festival.
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Deaths: Three people died during the festival, including one from heat exhaustion, one from a pre-existing heart condition, and one from a traffic fatality after the event.
Overall, Woodstock 99 was a disastrous event that was plagued by poor management, budget cuts, high temperatures, misogyny, inadequate security, and the lack of sanitation[[2]](https...
