Paul Simon at Bethel Woods on July 3rd. I keep reading that and it still doesn’t feel real. One of the greatest songwriters in the history of popular music, performing at the Woodstock site, on the eve of Independence Day. If there’s a more poetic booking on any concert calendar anywhere, I haven’t seen it.
About Paul Simon
Paul Simon is a generational talent — one of the most acclaimed and influential songwriters of the twentieth century. From his early work as half of Simon & Garfunkel through a solo career that produced some of the most adventurous and critically celebrated albums in popular music, Simon has operated at a level that very few artists ever reach. He’s a multiple Grammy winner, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (twice — as part of the duo and as a solo artist), and a Kennedy Center honoree. His songwriting draws from folk, rock, world music, jazz, gospel, and Latin traditions, creating a body of work that is genuinely without peer in American popular music. Any Paul Simon concert appearance is significant.
The Venue
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on the original Woodstock site is arguably the most historically significant concert venue in America. Simon & Garfunkel’s music is so intertwined with the late 1960s and the cultural moment that Woodstock represented that seeing Paul Simon at this location feels like a closing of a circle. The outdoor pavilion and rolling Hudson Valley lawn create a setting that is both grand and intimate, and on July 3rd, the atmosphere is going to be absolutely electric.
Tickets & Details
Paul Simon performs at Bethel Woods on July 3, 2026 at 8:00 PM. Check the link for current pricing. Get tickets.
I don’t care what kind of music you’re into — Paul Simon live is one of those experiences that transcends preference. The songwriting is on another planet, the musicianship in his bands is always world-class, and hearing those songs in an outdoor setting as the sun goes down is going to be something you carry with you forever. At Bethel Woods on the night before the Fourth of July, surrounded by the Hudson Valley hills and sixty years of American music history, this is as close to a once-in-a-lifetime concert as you’re going to find. Do whatever you need to do to be there.