By Emma Stanton, Staff Writer
“Woodstock” — the very essence of the name conjures up visions of quaint towns, historic buildings, white picket fences, and idyllic tree-lined streets. To walk down a block in Woodstock, Vt., is to step onto a piece of history, on a path carved centuries ago. For Caralampo Focas, this feeling radiates through the streets of his small hamlet in Woodstock, England. Nestled on Oxford Street, steeped in a certain “Woodstock” charm, Focas wondered if every Woodstock possessed the same kind of warmth. Last year, he set out to visit every Woodstock in the world and document his journey along the way. This weekend, May 7-9, Focas will visit Woodstock, Vt., where he will speak with local governing officials, photograph the area, and investigate the nuances of our little town.
Focas spoke with the Standard about the project and his experience so far.
“We have a coffee shop in Woodstock, England — sort of the original Woodstock,” Focas began. “A couple years back, I received a phone call from someone asking, ‘Could you tell me how to get to your shop?’ And I said, ‘Yes, where are you?’ And they said, ‘Ontario, of course!’”
In this brief conversation with a stranger, an idea was born. “This experience made me interested to see what the other Woodstocks were like around the world,” Focas said.
Caralampo Focas
So, he set out to visit the Woodstocks located in America, Canada, and Australia. On his journey, Focas photographs the places he walks, notes similarities and differences, speaks with locals, and gathers material for an exhibit he plans to put together back in England. “The project also consists of gathering small materials and photographic evidence to be compiled into a digital online resource accessible for libraries and museums,” Focas said.
Following his travels, he plans to set this exhibition up in the Woodstock Coffee Shop in Woodstock, England. Then it will be transferred to the Oxfordshire Museum in England for all to appreciate.
Focas told the Standard that curiosity and a desire to understand people’s perspectives around “place” and “home” sit at the heart of this project. “The thinking [behind this project] is that people from England migrated to these places, created these communities. But it’s also a way for us to think about migrants who come now and create communities today. Perhaps we should think of how we migrated, why we move and settle, instead of demonizing those doing the very same.
“People have always migrated, that’s how each and every Woodstock came to be,” he continued. “Hopefully, this project can make us think about what’s happening now and how people are still migrating, still searching for a sense of home. In visiting each Woodstock, I’ve come to realize that we are not isolated from the rest of the world; we are not unique. Instead of living in our own bubbles, we should see that people are still moving and sharing experiences all around the globe — whether it be a town called Woodstock or any other place.”
So far, Focas has visited Woodstock, Ontario; Woodstock, New Brunswick; and Woodstock, New South Wales in Australia. In the U.S., Focas plans to visit Woodstock, Vt.; Woodstock, N.Y.; Woodstock, Ill.; and Woodstock, Pa.
“It’s been fascinating because every place offers something unexpected. People mostly migrated to these places over 150 or 200 years ago. And yet, still there are connections between each and every Woodstock. In Ontario, for instance, they have a town hall which was built around the 1870s and is an exact replica of the original Town Hall of Woodstock, England. In Vermont, I expect I’ll find pieces of home spread across the New England town.”
The project also aims to foster collaboration between municipal governments and civic institutions, such as local history museums, Focas added. “I also plan to visit the local coffee shops!”
“More than anything, I hope this project shows people that we are all connected. We are all experiencing and creating these beautiful places. I’m very excited to see Woodstock, Vt., and deepen the connection I have to each of these towns.”
Focas will be here on May 7, 8, and 9. He welcomes locals to stop and speak with him as he travels around town and discovers exactly what makes our Woodstock tick.