The Red Hook, N.Y., town board granted its approval September 14th for promoter Andrew Dreskin to stage the two-day music festival at Greig Farm in the Hudson Valley, about 45 minutes south of Albany.

Dreskin said the festival will take place in July 2005, most likely on the weekend of the 16-17 or 23-24. The mass gathering permit allows for 45,000 visitors per day, although organizers are anticipating 35,000 per day, with about half camping on the 600-acre site.

The town of Red Hook and Dutchess County will each receive $1 from every ticket sold. A percentage of sales will go toward a local charity.

Last year’s event was to take place on Long Island at Calverton’s Enterprise Park, but the Suffolk County Health Department denied the mass gathering permit just days before the event.

Organizers were forced to move the fest to Giants Stadium in New Jersey and scale it back to one day. A lawsuit subsequently filed by Dreskin and AEG against the county is still pending.

Dreskin isn’t anticipating any such problems this year.

“We have nothing but green lights from the town and the county. It’s going to be smooth sailing this time around,” he said.

No acts have been announced, but Dreskin said the fest will feature 50 to 60 nationally known artists.