BETHEL, NY – U.S.P.S. Press Release: White Lake Postmaster Maria Forlenza is announcing a special pictorial postmark will be offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bethel NY Post Office, 2166 State Route 17B, on Friday, August 16 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair.

The Postal Service offers pictorial postmarks as a community service to commemorate local events celebrated in communities throughout the nation.

The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held in the small farming community of Bethel, NY, in August 1969. Approximately 500,000 members of the “Woodstock Generation,” a term later used in reference to young people of the time, convened to promote peace and love through music.

If unable to get to the Bethel Post Office on August 16 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Postmaster Forlenza recommends obtaining the special postmark by mail order request. Customers can affix stamps to an envelope or postcard, address the envelopes or postcards to themselves or others, insert a card of postcard thickness in envelopes for sturdiness, and tuck in the flap. Place the envelopes or postcards in larger envelopes and address them to:

Woodstock 50th Postmark Postmaster  2166 State Route 17B Bethel, NY 12720-9998              

Woodstock Forever Stamp

Customers can also send stamped envelopes and postcards without addresses for postmark, as long as they supply a larger envelope with adequate postage and their return address. After applying the pictorial postmark, the Postal Service returns the items (with or without addresses) under addressed protective cover.

Mail order requests must be sent to the Postmaster no later than September 16.

Customers with questions about the postmark can contact Postmaster Forlenza at 845-583-6410.

The first day of issue ceremony for the Postal Service’s new Woodstock Forever commemorative stamps is August 8th at 11 a.m. in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Avenue, New York, NY.  News of the stamp is being shared on social media using the hashtags #WoodstockStamps and #PeaceForeverStamps.