Thousands of people camped out near the Powder Ridge ski resort in Middlefield for the greatest rock concert that never was, July 30, 1970.
Connecticut State Police
MIDDLEFIELD, CT (WFSB) – The likes of Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, The Allman Brothers, Chuck Berry and Grand Funk Railroad were supposed to put on a show for the ages at the Powder Ridge Ski Area in Middlefield.
A legal injunction may have stopped it, but not thousands of concert goers from descending onto Beseck Mountain on July 30, 1970.
It’s since been referred to as “the greatest rock concert that never was.”
The website Today in Connecticut History said 30,000 people circumvented police roadblocks and hiked up the mountain with hopes of attending the concert.
The owner of the ski area sought to capitalize on the popularity of Woodstock, which happened the prior year.
However, state police said that the townspeople wanted the festival stopped. A judge agreed and the injunction was issued.
Still, troopers said young people stayed for days and camped along the slopes of the ski resort.
“In the hot summer weather, clothing was scarce but drugs seemed plentiful,” Connecticut State Police said on their Facebook page. “State troopers closed roads, directed traffic and dealt with the influx of visitors and vehicles.”
Triage centers had to be set up to help deal with severe drug overdoses.
After a few days, the crowds dissipated and a fair amount of people actually stayed to help clean up trash.
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