Bethel Woods Center for the Arts — Attraction in Town of Bethel

Saw Luke Bryan here September 2019. Very nice venue. Have to take one star away though for a couple reasons... The tickets we purchased online and printed at home, listed the things we COULD bring into the concert... nothing we specifically could NOT. But as we walked to the gate, an employee told us not only was the backpack we were told was allowed, was not, but that my purse was “too big”. So we had to walk a considerable distance back to our vehicle (which was supposedly in the “handicapped” section... which I am... but was still a long & difficult walk) and leave the backpack... (we know now if you have a “see through” plastic backpack or purse, they can be brought in and any size) Thankfully I had a smaller purse with me to switch my belongings into and walk all the way back up to the gate. When we got to the gate and through it... I was once again told my purse “did not meet the standards” and was directed to a table with 2 female employees. They proceeded to begin telling me my purse was too large as if I would walk to my vehicle to either change it or leave it there, AGAIN. Mind you, we’ve already missed the first performance because of walking back the first time. I interrupted the employee and informed her I had been told this once before, had already switched to the only other purse I had, that I am a terminal cancer patient & have meds with me I cannot be without, and that there was NO WAY I would be able to make that walk, at that time, yet again. They could tell I was getting visibly upset. So they shined a flashlight into my purse, put a tag on it & sent me on my way. My complaint is not with the employees as they were just following policy... my complaint is that nowhere on any ticket, website, sign, ANYTHING... was it mentioned that a woman could only bring a purse basically the size of a cigarette case in with them. It was an EXTREMELY distressing way to start what was supposed to be a fun (cancer-talk free) evening. It is also unfortunate you cannot bring your own chair in and are forced to pay for theirs, but I realize it’s one more way for them to make themselves revenue. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. Clean and well kept. The staff was diligent, but sometimes overzealous in their “police-ing” of people standing on sections of grass and cobblestone that were “off limits”, but not clearly marked as such. But that is also understandable as part of their job, and I would much rather have them that way than not caring. There was an extreme amount of young, drunk, people. Some of which we saw needing medical attention because of their condition. The sound was fantastic. The big screens were visible from many different angles. The traffic out afterwards was a nightmare. Especially if you were headed in the direction of Bethel once you were lucky enough to get out of the parking lot. Other than all that... we really did end up having a wonderful time & would definitely go back. Just wiser now as to what to bring in & how much time to allot getting...

The vibe of being on the land of the original Woodstock 1969 is powerful. You know the performing artists feel it, too. My experience is in the Lawn section. It was a sold out show for Robert Plant & Alison Kraus, Bob Dylan and the amazing 91 year old Willie Nelson. Great performances by all. Sound was mixed decent for every show I have attended. Those sitting on stage right get the full sun experience. If it's hot, sit on stage left unless you love the sun. The food and drinks, like all venues, are way overpriced. Lots of choices but long lines. There are rules about what you can bring in (2 water bottles, umbrella, see-through bag, small purse, blanket, etc). Check the website. The lawn seats are for smaller, agile people and tend to sell out. Everything is electronic, and the cellular service is not great, so Apple wallet is recommended. The staff are pretty serious about seating under the pavilion, so don't bother trying to sneak in. (Haha, I tried). PortaJohns were really disgusting, but it was over 90 degrees. There are two cleaner bathrooms on both sides of stages. Parking is bit of a hill and it takes about 20 minutes to walk from the entrance security gates to the chair rentals to the lawn. There's nice parking and shade trees for tailgate, always a blast. They do open parking lots early and no one rushed us out, which we appreciated. I recommend taking your time leaving. Best to check the website for specific times. It's a beautiful location to spend a couple of days. Be sure to check out the Woodstock museum, and it's super cool. The little Catskill towns are very sweet and upstate NY is a friendly area. I am grateful to be within a 90-minute drive and I believe it's the same distance from Downstate toward NYC. Hope this helps you enjoy and prepare, it's definitely...

The concert was amazing. But I will not be returning to the venue. The website does not list all the forbidden items (purses larger than clutch, opaque tote bags, limited water etc) so when we got there we had to hike back to the car to stow the forbidden items AND pay $5 for a clear bag. If they are going to impose rules, those rules need to be communicated BEFORE reaching the entrance where a cardboard sign is posted. It takes about twenty minutes to hike from the parking lot to the entrance. Part of the distance is gravel so older or infirm people will have problems. Of course the obligatory metal scanners are at the entrance. This part was really the least of it. The venue was harder to enter than going through TSA at the airport and that is saying something. They charge for Premium parking ($20) and it is so limited it sells out right away. Leaving the regular parking is AWFUL.All the workers, who are busy yelling at people for stepping on the grass, are nowhere to be found when they could be useful in traffic control. It took us over an hour to leave the parking lot and I saw several almost accidents. People are walking all around moving cars and some of the drivers are really aggressive. What's worse, management knows it is a problem. There was an announcement during the concert to be patient and to enjoy the scenery (at midnight, no less). The few people directing traffic are at the very end, where four lanes join. The parking issue really needs to be addressed. Finally, I really felt some of their choices were a money grab. (See clear bag.) Lawn chairs not allowed - but they will rent one for $12 each. (Lawn tix are $40. Premium, BTW, are $300.) There are many other venues in the Hudson Valley and we are close to the city. Better...