Woodstock’s 50th anniversary festival has been canceled

In a massive bummer for the music world, the organizers of Woodstock’s eagerly anticipated 50th anniversary festival announced that it is canceled.

According to a statement given to Billboard, the events network funding the festival lamented that, “Despite our tremendous investment of time, effort and commitment, we don’t believe the production of the festival can be executed as an event worthy of the Woodstock Brand name while also ensuring the health and safety of the artists, partners and attendees.”

Slated to run August 15 to 17 amid much buzz about its popularity, the festival was billed as a draw for both young festival-goers and older music lovers who hoped to celebrate the nostalgia of the first iconic weekend.

Artists slated to appear included Jay-Z, Common, Pussy Riot, The Killers, Chance the Rapper, Robert Plant, Halsey, and Miley Cyrus, as well as John Fogerty (from Creedence Clearwater Revival), Carlos Santana (as Santana), Melanie, David Crosby, John Sebastian, Country Joe McDonald, three Grateful Dead members (as Dead & Company), Canned Heat, and Hot Tuna, who performed at the original Woodstock festival in 1969.

Festival proceedings started to get fishy when the original ticket sale date came and went with … no tickets to buy.

And though festival organizers claim that “remedy will be sought,” it doesn’t seem like those looking forward to the festival should get their hopes up.

According to Billboard, “Last week, a representative for the festival reached out to officials with Live Nation and AEG to inquire about a $20 million investment to save the event, but both companies declined the offer.”

Here’s hoping for next year, although Woodstock 51 doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.