The spirit of Woodstock is a beautiful state of mind! Visiting will make you want to stay.
Welcome To Woodstock New York (NY) "Colony Of The Arts" since 1902. Located in the Hudson Valley at the foothills
of the Catskills less than two hours from NYC, Woodstock is 'the most famous small town in America'.

Ooh Woodstock loves our musicians

Woodstock History

Since the founding of the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony in 1902, numerous artists and craftspeople have gravitated to Woodstock, attracted by the beautiful Catskill Mountain landscape, the small town’s proximity to New York City, and a community that supports the arts.

"The goal of the colony, inspired by the ideas of John Ruskin and William Morris, was to become self-sufficient by creating beautiful and useful objects which could be sold to support the community."

The Byrdcliffe Colony, also called the Byrdliffe Arts Colony or Byrdcliffe Historic District, was founded by Jane and Ralph Whitehead and colleagues, Bolton Brown (artist) and Hervey White (writer). The Arts and Crafts Movement arose in the late nineteenth century in reaction to the dehumanizing monotony and standardization of industrial production. It was created as an experiment in utopian living inspired by the arts and crafts movement. It remains focused on the development of artistic vision.

"Beneath the gentle slopes of Overlook Mountain lies the town of Woodstock, a thriving community of painters, musicians and craftsmen. The town's early history of wintry hardships, courageous settlers and rebellious farmers sets the stage for a saga of spirited and creative personalities. As this energetic individualism carried over into the twentieth century, the sounds of cow horns and tin pails gave way to the bacchanalian revelry of Maverick music festivals and the wailing guitar of Bob Dylan. The first hippie came to town in 1963, and within a few years this Colony of the Arts was swept up by the counterculture movement of the 60s." In this collection of essays from the Historical Society of Woodstock archives, Richard Heppner captures the unique spirit of Woodstock, where the individual is always welcome and new and creative beginnings are always possible.

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• To develop, encourage, promote and protect the commercial, professional,
  financial, artistic, and general business interests of the Town of Woodstock, New York.
• To promote civic interests of the community.
• To extend and promote the trade, commerce, and industry and arts of the Town of Woodstock, New York.
• To promote laws and regulations beneficial to business and the arts in general.
• To provide a forum for the reflection of the sentiments of business, arts, and the
  community, regarding matters affecting their interest.

Chamber President Joyce Beymer