Monterey Pop Festival

Lore & Background

The festival was planned in seven weeks by John Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas, record producer Lou Adler, event producer Alan Pariser, and publicist Derek Taylor. Paul McCartney, who had recently joined the board of governors, strongly advocated for the inclusion of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, reportedly telling organizers the event would be "incomplete" without him. McCartney reportedly agreed to serve on the board only if Hendrix were booked. The artists performed for free with all revenue donated to charity, except for Ravi Shankar, who was paid $3,000 for his afternoon-long performance. Apart from Shankar, each act was given up to 40 minutes for their performance. Several ended earlier, including the Who, who played for only 26 minutes.

In Their Own Story

Crowd estimates ranged from 25,000 to 90,000 people congregating in and around the festival grounds. The outdoor livestock arena had an approved capacity of 7,000, yet an estimated 8,500 jammed into it for Saturday night's show. Ticket prices varied by seating area, ranging from $3 to $6.50 ($29–63 in 2025, adjusted for inflation). The Human Be-In at Golden Gate Park earlier that year directly inspired the festival, with attendees listening to Timothy Leary tell the crowd to reorganize as tribes and villages. Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner described Monterey as "the nexus: It sprang from what the Beatles began, and from it sprang what followed." The event featured the first major American appearances by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Who, and Ravi Shankar.

Reader's Guide

Festival-goers required either an 'all-festival' ticket or separate tickets for each of the five scheduled concert events in the arena. The same sound company hired for the Monterey Jazz Festival, McCune Sound, was utilized, with local Meagher Electronics contributing loudspeakers and combining gear with McCune's. The song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" by Scott McKenzie, written by Phillips, was released in May 1967 specifically to promote the event. Local sound company Meagher Electronics contributed loudspeakers and electronics, combining their gear with McCune's. The festival featured historic performances that were the subject of a popular theatrical documentary film.

Did You Know?

• Paul McCartney reportedly agreed to serve on the festival's board only if the Jimi Hendrix Experience was booked.
• The Who played for only 26 minutes during their set, ending earlier than their allotted 40 minutes.
• Ravi Shankar was the only artist paid $3,000; all other artists performed for free with revenue donated to charity.
• An estimated 8,500 people jammed into an arena with an approved capacity of just 7,000 on Saturday night.
• The Human Be-In held in San Francisco in early 1967 directly inspired the Monterey International Pop Festival.