An amphitheater in the Catskills was ranked No. 1 in the nation for the second year in a row.
USA Today’s 10Best named the Pavilion at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts the country’s top amphitheater. The amphitheater ranked above other outdoor venues such as The Filene Center in Wolf Trap, Virginia and the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey.
The amphitheater was formerly the site of the 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair. It is located 90 miles north of New York City in Bethel, New York.
Meanwhile, the nonprofit cultural center is celebrating its 20th year. The center aims to honor its legacy of peace and music by creating memorable experiences and expanding access to the arts.
The open-air amphitheater “features a sweeping pavilion roof over 5,000 seats and a gently sloping lawn with seating for 11,000 more guests,” USA Today wrote. “Each seat offers great acoustics and views of the stage, and performances range from jazz to pop, rock, country, soul — you name it.”
In addition to the Pavilion Stage and its seating for 11,000, the center includes a 422-seat indoor Event Gallery. The 1000-acre campus has a 528-site campground and a conservatory and studios for arts education programming and the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods teaches the history of the 1960s and the Woodstock Music & Art Fair. Notably, the museum was also named among the best in the nation.
Programming
This summer, the amphitheater has a solid lineup of concerts, arts programming and community events. Jason Aldean, Toto, Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw, James Taylor, Billy Strings, Christopher Cross, Hardy, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Joe Bonamassa and Lindsey Stirling and more will take the stage throughout the 2026 Summer Concert Season.
For more information and tickets, visit the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts website.
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