The Stonehenge Free Festival was a legendary British music and cultural event held annually from 1974 to 1984 at the iconic Stonehenge monument. It was a free festival that celebrated alternative lifestyles, music, and counterculture, culminating with the summer solstice on or around June 21st.
The festival featured a mix of rock music, performances, and gatherings of various groups, including New Age travelers and countercultural communities. Bands like Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles, and Wishbone Ash were among the notable performers1. By the 1980s, the festival had grown significantly, attracting up to 30,000 attendees in its final years.
Unfortunately, the festival came to an end in 1985 after a violent confrontation between police and festival-goers, known as the "Battle of the Beanfield." Since then, no free festivals have been held at Stonehenge, although people have been allowed to gather there for the solstice since 1999.
Does this resonate with your interest in music festivals or Stonehenge's cultural history?
