Altamont free concert held in California on December 6

On December 6, 1969, the Altamont Speedway in Northern California hosted a massive free rock concert that drew an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 attendees. The event featured performances by the Rolling Stones, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Jefferson Airplane. Despite the musical highlights, the festival became infamous for multiple violent incidents, resulting in four deaths and numerous injuries.

Altamont is remembered as a defining moment in counterculture history, illustrating both the eras enthusiasm for rock music and the darker consequences of poorly managed large gatherings.

Author: Lucas Grant