Baby Boomers gather in New Rochelle to celebrate 50th anniversary of Woodstock
NEW ROCHELLE, New York (WABC) -- Fifty years to the day after they gathered in Upstate New York for Woodstock, more than 100 Baby Boomers gathered in New Rochelle to sing, dance, wear tie-dye and remember.
It was like 1969 all over again - and with guitarist Dave Monte belting out Van Morrison's 'Brown Eyed Girl,' they were back in the groove celebrating the 50th anniversary of Woodstock at the Sutton Park Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in New Rochelle.
"We all wanted to celebrate this year, and Woodstock deserves celebration as well," said Asst. Administrator Judah Laufer.
500,000 music-loving souls crowded Max Yasgur's 600-acre farm to celebrate three days of peace and love - all the while creating a historical moment and defining a generation.
Edward Lynch, in the Navy, loved the music and was trying to get there.
"We were heading for Woodstockbut we never made it...we got stuck in a bar," Lynch said.
Palma Sparacio was living in the Bronx at the time.
"All the big singers - that generation was very musical, very nice," Sparacio said.
Victor Rivera looked back on Woodstock, saying it brings back a lot of fond memories.
"It's still current - the music holds up, and a lot of the clothing and the style and the culture, it is still holding up today," Rivera said.
Guitarist Dave Monte said Woodstock inspired him musically.
"You know Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Santana and all that stuff molded me into a musican and really take an interest," he said.
Laufer and his team even found the peace signs, the tie-dye shirts, and the headbands online.
"We want to bring them back to the day. We want to make them feel like they were brought back. We also want to respect what they gave to society, and we want to be able to provide them with what the experience was like," Laufer added.
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