HISTORIC EVENT
Isle of Wight Festival 1970
Historic Music Festival
EVENT OVERVIEW
About Isle of Wight Festival 1970
The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival was a five-day music festival and one of the largest gatherings of the original British festival era.
HOW IT DEVELOPED
Event History
The official Isle of Wight Festival history describes the 1968-1970 festivals as Europe’s equivalent of Woodstock. The 1970 lineup included Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez, Chicago and many others.
WHY HERE
Location History
The event was held on the Isle of Wight as part of the original 1968-1970 festival series. The modern festival’s official history emphasizes the island setting and its sense of separation from mainland Britain.
BY THE NUMBERS
Attendance History
| Edition | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Wight Festival 1970 | Afton Down, Isle of Wight, England, United Kingdom | 600,000Official festival history says more than 600,000 people attended. |
WHO WAS THERE
Past Bands & Performers
Isle of Wight 1970
- Jimi Hendrix
- Jethro Tull
- The Doors
- The Who
- Ten Years After
- Chicago
- Joni Mitchell
- Joan Baez
- Sly & the Family Stone
- Donovan
- Leonard Cohen
- Free
- John Sebastian
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer
- The Moody Blues
- Pentangle
- Mungo Jerry
- Spirit
FACT CHECK
Sources & Verification
Primary source: Official Isle of Wight Festival history
Last verified: August 28, 2026
Class Act leaves unsupported facts out rather than estimate or invent them.