In an interview with Rolling Stone, original Woodstock Music and Arts Festival founder Michael Lang spoke about an interest to celebrate the historic festival’s 50th anniversary in 2019.

The original Woodstock festival was held from August 15-18, 1969, billed as “Three Days of Peace & Music.” Organized by Lang, the festival featured dozens of popular artists, including The Who, The Grateful Dead, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and countless more, performing for a crowd that reached nearly a half million people. 

The organizers have no plan to arrange a 45th anniversary this year, but are looking forward to 2019 for a 50th anniversary celebration. Commenting on their interest, Lang told Rolling Stone, “I think we’re certainly done until the 50th… we’re starting to think about it now.”

There have been two official anniversary Woodstocks at the initial site: Woodstock ’94, a successful 25th anniversary that included Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers and some original performers, and Woodstock ’99, a disasterous event filled with riots, and four incidents of alleged rape.

Additionally, a handful of artists including Jefferson Starship, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Canned Heat, and Ten Years After, came together in 2009, celebrating Woodstock’s 40th anniversary with a national tour.

Lang says he is exploring different venue options for the 2019 festival. Details are limited at the moment, understandably, because, as RS points out, a band forming today could feasibly headline a festival five years from now. Fingers crossed that it’s my band.

-David Melamed (@DMelamz)