The first Beatlefest opened in New York City on 7 September 1974.
The event, later renamed The Fest for Beatles Fans, was founded by Mark Lapidos, a Beatles fan who had the idea of a convention while working as an assistant manager at Radio City Sam Goody’s record store in NYC. In April 1974 Lapidos was in the crowd at the March of Dimes, an annual 20-mile charity walk to raise money to help improve the health of mothers and babies. John Lennon addressed the 1974 event in Manhattan’s Central Park, and stayed at the Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue.
Lapidos knocked on the door of Lennon’s 16th floor suite and, to his surprise, was let in by Harry Nilsson. After telling Lennon his hopes for the event, he was told, “I’m all for it; I’m a Beatles fan myself.” Lennon offered to sign and donate a guitar for the event’s charity raffle.
Beatlefest ’74 took place at New York’s Commodore Hotel on 7 and 8 September 1974. More than 8,000 fans attended, and the BBC and Apple Corps provided footage to be screened. Each of the former Beatles donated items to be auctioned for charity. Lennon and Paul McCartney each donated guitars, George Harrison gave away a table, and Ringo Starr sent a pair of autographed drumsticks.
Lennon considered attending the event, but felt that the crowds would be unbearable. May Pang went, however, and was asked to look for bootleg recordings and memorabilia for Lennon.
Pang met Jürgen Vollmer at Beatlefest. Vollmer had photographed The Beatles in Hamburg, and was selling prints of his work. Pang returned to their home with some of the prints, which prompted Lennon to reestablish contact. One of Vollmer’s shots was used on the cover of Lennon’s Rock ‘N’ Roll album.