If the late-July heat was absorbed by greenery like at most fests, the temperature wouldn’t have been as much of an issue, but much of the Griffiss Air Force Base was tarmac and concrete - materials the sun’s rays just bounce off of. The situation was so bad that, after the festival, lawyers for some festivalgoers threatened to sue organizers for negligence. Some were smashed in frustration, causing minor flooding in the area. There were some free fountains, but the lines to use those often resembled a Disneyland ride. When people went to purchase water, they were met with a $4 price tag per bottle. Unfortunately, most festivalgoers didn’t heed the warning to bring an adequate supply themselves. With temperatures hovering from the high 80s to, in some accounts, hitting the 100s, water became a necessity. Now imagine turning off that city’s water supply.

With about 220,000 people in attendance and another 10,000 working the festival, Woodstock ’99 temporarily made the festival site the third most populated city in New York state. We revisited the disaster at Griffiss Air Force Base to break down the 19 worst things that happened at Woodstock ’99. Woodstock ’99 was supposed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “peace, love and happiness.” Instead, the Rome, New York festival earned the infamous distinction of “the day the Nineties died.” There were tons of contributing factors that made the fest the anti-Woodstock: Organizers trying to wring every last dollar from festivalgoers from exorbitant ticket prices to costly water bottles, a festival site built atop hot tarmac in late-July heat, a poorly curated and scheduled lineup and an angry, aggressive crowd that left a charred festival site and sexual assaults in its wake.

With a new HBO documentary revisiting the infamous Woodstock ’99, a new generation is learning about one of the most calamitous festivals of all time.

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