Mountain Jam (festival) - History

History

In its short history, Mountain Jam has become one of the top music festivals in the U.S. and the premier festival in the Northeast. Rolling Stone Magazine named the Mountain Jam Festival one of the Top 8 Music Festivals in the Country. Mountain Jam is an independent music festival produced by locally owned and operated WDST/Radio Woodstock and Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, The Dead, Gov't Mule). Attendees of Mountain Jam can camp onsite in the majestic, rolling green Catskill mountains, or stay in numerous local hotels and inns, as well as ski chalets and houses that are available for weekend rentals. The infrastructure of the Hunter Mountain Ski Resort provides excellent amenities not found in typical outdoor music festivals, such as indoor restroom facilities, a large, full-service bar and lounge area, restaurants and an indoor concert stage. The natural shape and slope of the ski mountains makes for a great, natural amphitheater with fantastic sight lines as the main stages are in a bowl, and the attendees watch the music on sloped mountainsides.

Mountain Jam began in 2005 as a one-day celebration of the 25th anniversary of radio station WDST-FM, based in Utopia Studios in Woodstock, NY. Radio Woodstock/WDST is one of the country's leading progressive independent radio stations, having won numerous radio industry awards for its unique and innovative music mix of classic rock and new, emerging artists. Mountain Jam expanded to a 2 day music festival in 2006, and then added a third day in 2007. In 2011, Mountain Jam added early Thursday admission for a limited number of attendees for a rocking pre-festival party on Thursday night.

The Festival has grown to feature over 60 bands on 4 stages. The two main stages are positioned next to one another, so that the music runs non-stop on these stages, without any over-lapping. An indoor stage and an Acoustic Stage in the Awareness Village are also featured. Late Night music sets has the music ending after 3 am.

Since 2008, Mountain Jam has included the Awareness Village, an ongoing effort to stimulate and expand planetary consciousness. The Awareness Village hosts activists spreading the word on offsetting carbon emissions & groups showcasing environmental efforts to help save our planet. The Awareness Village also has information and workshops on crystals, astrology, plant/spirit medicine, yoga, tai chi, and plenty more to keep you healthy spiritually, emotionally and physically. The Awareness Village also features intimate acoustic performances by many of the top main stage artists and an artist signing booth.