The Woodstock Music and Art Festival was a rock music festival at Max Yasgur 's 600 acre ( 2.4 kmÂ ) dairy farm in the town of Bethel , New York from 15 Augustâ `` 18 August 1969 . Woodstock Music & Art Fair ( informally , Woodstock or The Woodstock Festival ) was a music festival , billed as `` An Aquarian Exposition : 3 Days of Peace & Music '' . It was held at Max Yasgur 's 600-acre ( 2.4 kmÂ ; 240 ha , 0.94 miÂ ) dairy farm near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel , New York , from August 15 to August 18 , 1969 .