BETHEL, NY — Often referred to as the “hippie who came to Woodstock and never left,” Duke Devlin has finally done so. Well, not “left” so much as stepped down, as far as his official duties as “site interpreter” for Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is concerned.

Devlin, who recently accepted a STAR award from the Sullivan County Visitors Association for his contributions to the community at large, was the guest of honor in a public forum hosted by Thunder 102 radio’s Mike Sakell and Paul Ciliberto in the museum theater at Bethel Woods. There, he held court in a lively discussion with Museum Director Wade Lawrence, former Town of Bethel Supervisor Alan Scott and former Town of Thompson Supervisor Anthony Cellini, both of whom were actively involved with the original site of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival and its transformation into what has become Bethel Woods.

When asked by Mike Sakell to “tell the story one more time,” Devlin nodded at the crowd. “Probably won’t be the last time, man, but here goes,” he grinned. “I was commune-hopping in Texas and heard a rumor about this grandiose festival that was supposed to be happening on a farm in upstate New York, but I brushed it off. You gotta remember, we didn’t have social media back then. But soon after I read in The Village Voice that it wasn’t a rumor, and college campuses were buzzing about this big-deal concert with a veritable who’s-who of the music world slated to play, along with a petting zoo and Indian Village—all sorts of crazy stuff. My birthday is on August 10th, so it seemed like a good idea to hitchhike to White Lake with a pal and check it out.

“’Yeah, I’ll go with you,’ my friend said, ‘but we’re not going to stay long.’ So far, it’s been 46 years.” Devlin, who informally served as the on-site spokesperson long before his position became official, has been recounting his adventures at the music festival to the thousands who have flocked to the field for decades. “I showed up with 50 cents in my pocket and got a job selling burgers from a stand at the top of Hurd Road,” he recalled. “It wasn’t long before there were hippies as far as the eye could see. You have to remember, though,” he interjected, “It was just a weekend. It only became legendary after the fact.”

When asked to single out his most memorable moments, Duke became nostalgic. “When Richie Havens went on stage, you somehow knew that something special was happening,” he shared with the panel. “But as far as anyone being interested in what I had to say? Well, that didn’t really begin until the 20th anniversary.” When asked to expound, Devlin explained that “a French journalist who was here to cover the event came knocking at my door, having asked folks around town about how long the hippies actually stayed in the county. Apparently someone told her that ‘one of them is still here,’ and she found me. Since then, I’ve done a couple of interviews,” he said, smiling. “I wasn’t looking to be famous, man. I’m just Duke.”

And yet, Devlin is indeed world-famous at this point. Adopted by the Museum at Bethel Woods, where “vibrant interactive exhibits and events celebrate the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival and the entire decade it came to represent,” none is more vibrant than Duke. “Over the years,” he recalled, “I’ve gotten to meet and spend time with some of the greatest artists the music world has ever seen. Being a small part of their experience here at Bethel Woods has been amazing. I love these people and Sullivan County. This has never been a job for me—more like a labor of love. I feel kind of bad, though,” Devlin shared in conclusion. “I never actually bought a ticket to Woodstock. I just kind of walked in.”