Build Something Iconic. Do it at Woodstock. Proposals Open for BuildFest 3

From September 9–13, 2026, BuildFest returns to the historic grounds of the 1969 Woodstock Festival at Bethel Woods, inviting faculty to assemble teams of students, designers, and creatives from across the humanities to propose ideas for large-scale wood installations that will be built by students live on site, with oversight from faculty advisors and professionals.

Encourage your professor to apply by March 30, 2026, and get ready for a five-day live-work festival experience like no other:

• Design and build a full-scale timber installation
• Work with innovative, prefabricated, lower-carbon materials
• Collaborate with other students, faculty, and professionals
• Camp and create in an iconic festival setting
• Add a realized project to your portfolio
• Compete to win up to $20,000 in awards

Presented by Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and supported by Think Wood, BuildFest 3: Acts of Construction will explore how construction can set the stage for future activations, challenging teams to design adaptable wood structures that invite performance, movement, and encourage multi-functional design. 

Faculty must submit proposals by March 30, 2026. Selected teams will receive funding and support to bring their ideas to life, with the chance for participating teams to win up to $20,000 in awards.

Looking for other ways to get involved? Sign up to be a BuildFest Please Force volunteer—find more details at BuildFest.