The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival

1970

The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, held at Afton Down near Freshwater on 26-31 August, was one of the largest music events in history. An estimated 600,000 people attended, making it larger than Woodstock. The lineup included Jimi Hendrix, in one of his last performances before his death three weeks later, The Who, The Doors, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and many others. The sheer scale of the event overwhelmed the island's infrastructure, and the local population of 100,000 was dwarfed by the festival-goers who poured across on the ferries. The social disruption led to the Isle of Wight County Council Act 1971, which effectively banned large gatherings on the island. The festival was revived in 2002 and has been held annually since, drawing major acts to the island each June.