Comments on: Soon after Woodstock came the Palm Beach Pop Festival, 40 years ago

By: jim p

jim p — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:58:26 +0000

yes the rain and cold were well documented people were burning tires for warmth turning faces black, miserable what ive never heard any one recollecting that jefferson airplane finishing at 1 a.m. then the stones coming on at 4.am in freezing weather jagger saying ‘it,s great to be in miami i don,t know about you but i,m bloody cold” really! any else remember? we were to cold to boo remember driving out to the sounds of jumping jack flash to be young and oblivious but i was back to atlanta in july jim

By: Blanez

Blanez — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:48:11 +0000

Just for clarity, in my original post, I said the cops weren’t arresting anyone immediately after the festival and we got out before the bad juju started, but the other 2 original guys we went down with did. They got thrown in the local jail for a couple of daze and the cops shaved their heads before their families could wire the money to get them out. I think it cost them around $150 each…….I was very lucky and still am. I live in Hawaii now but still remember West Palm for that festival.

By: Blanez

Blanez — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:42:59 +0000

I was there! Came down from the University of Florida with 3 other guys that were straight out of the “fabulous furry freak brothers” comics……..I was a surfer from Jax beach and into the blues. We had heard about Woodstock and this was as close as we were going to get at that point. One of the guys was a journalist major and got us press credentials because he wrote for the UF newspaper . this meant we got to be in the stand right by the stage……….unreal……..each day/night had a theme and it (and the dope) were mind blowing………the last night it was FREeEeeZING”………the heavies and biker guys tore up the stands and built Huge bonfires, I had paid my $20 ( for 3 days of the best music on the planet) and since I had no idea of where my ride home was I was stuck but it was awesome. only the real hard cores stayed to the end. I was at one fire with a hippy momma and her kid and was sharing a blanket. She pulled it towards her and uncovered on journalist friend who had passed out from eating reds and drinking ripple to keep warm. I shook him awake to see the stones…….After their set ended the sun came up and it looked like a war zone . Rubbish, fires, blackened earth people stumbling around….etc……the police just looking at us but not arresting anyone……..we still had a little weed left and saw some other freaks loading up a bus (like the merry pranksters) and hitched a ride out and to cocoa beach. We gave them the smoke for giving us the ride. My friend was originally from close by and he got a cousin (or somebody-who can remember everything) who gave us a ride back to gainsville. I’ll never forget that festival or the acts I saw then

By: Mickey McRoberts

Mickey McRoberts — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +0000

It’s pretty amazing that as a direct result of the PB Post’s front page picture of Sheriff Bill Heidtmann’s deputy ripping the American flag from the top of a “hippy’s” tent at the festival, police agencies and many others, began wearing American flag patches as part of their uniforms. As for Heidtmann, it was simply one positive solution to his ongoing public relations nightmare trying to keep the masses under control!

By: mike sawyer

mike sawyer — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:49:07 +0000

I was there,Drove down from savannah,ga. thanksgiving week inn.got there thursday, cold, rainey,slept in the trunk of 59 chevy. I was sixteen, smoked pot for the first time.But had a great time.

By: John Hanford

John Hanford — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:36:03 +0000

I have an original poster

By: Willy Fingers

Willy Fingers — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:16:19 +0000

I remember somes things about that weekend. Wet, muddy, cold, stoned and some of the best bands of the era! When Joplin announced Canned Heat cancelled and after the cheering, Joplin, Johnny, Edgar, Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert jammed for a set. Correct me if I’m remembering it wrong. I think someone gave me some weed with imbalming fluid soaked in it and damned near missed King Crimson. What the hell is that!

By: Lynn Levy Peseckis

Lynn Levy Peseckis — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:36:08 +0000

I was there. I remember some dude standing up with no shirt and dancing for the entire festival….. Was a great time!

By: John Fulford

John Fulford — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:08:17 +0000

I was in college back then. Came hme from U of Fla over holiday to work for my old employer–Universal Ambulance of Lake Worth (long gone). We had the medical contract for there. I manned the first aid tent from beginning to end.

Still remember it and seeing the “old” bands.

The thing I most remember was when the participants tore down an outhouse burned the wood to stay warm.

IT WAS FREEZING COLD…..

Oh–two years later Sheriff Heidtman hired me when I got out of college and did a career there.

Happy times……

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:12:37 +0000

very cool pictures