New York State Recognizes Festival Milestone of 35 Years as the Great Hudson River Revival
CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — The Clearwater Festival celebrates 35 years as Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival this year with the annual event taking place this Saturday and Sunday, June 15 and 16, at Croton Point Park, Croton-On-Hudson, NY.
NYS Senator Terry Gipson of the 41st District in the Hudson Valley has entered a resolution calling for the legislative body to pause in its deliberations to honor the 35th Anniversary of the Clearwater Festival as the Great Hudson River Revival.
“Along with my colleagues in the New York State Senate, I’m proud to recognize the 35th Anniversary of Clearwater’s ‘Great Hudson River Revival’ for shining light on the importance of preserving and protecting the Hudson River,” said Senator Terry Gipson. “Clearwater’s continued research, education and advocacy will ensure that our special communities along the Hudson River continue to thrive for the next generation of environmental leaders.”
The Clearwater Festival is an annual event and a local tradition, offering an opportunity for the Hudson Valley to gather to enjoy music, celebrate the Hudson River, and take part in the organization’s commitment to protect the environment as well as its mission to inspire, educate, and activate the next generation of environmental leaders.
“We thank Senator Gipson for calling attention to the essential work Clearwater is doing to advance the ecology, economy, and the quality of life for communities of the Hudson Valley,” said Jeff Rumpf, Clearwater Executive Director. “Clearwater continues to make history and we are pleased to mark the festival milestone of 35 years as Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival. Because of the dedication and efforts of the Revival Planning Committee and our great community of over 1,000 volunteers, the festival is successful year after year and continues to grow. Our festival is a model of grassroots initiative, with many hands making it all happen.”
The Clearwater Festival features a range of world-class musicians appearing on 7 bio-diesel powered stages that includes a global line-up with cross-generational appeal − from Folk to Bluegrass, Native American to African, Cajun to Swing and Indie-Rock to Blues, the Clearwater Festival transcends musical boundaries and geographic borders.
Over the weekend, hundreds of artists will perform on stages powered with sustainable energy from solar, bio-diesel, and wind sources. This year’s featured artists include Pete Seeger and Lorre Wyatt, Antibalas, David Amram, David Bromberg Quintet, Delhi 2 Dublin, Elizabeth Mitchell, Hot Tuna Acoustic, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Jesse Lége & Bayou Brew, Joanne Shenandoah, Judy Collins, Mavis Staples, Mike & Ruthy, Nicole Atkins, Susan Werner, The Last Bison, The Lone Bellow, Tom Chapin, Toshi Reagon & Big Lovely, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Dan Zanes, David Amram, David Broza, Hot Tuna Acoustic w/Steve Kimock, Jason Isbell, Jesse Lége & Bayou Brew, Jill Sobule, Josh White, Jr., Keller Williams & The Travelin’ McCourys, Kris Kristofferson, Levon Helm’s Dirt Farmer Band, Patterson Hood, Red Baraat, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Son Volt, Stephen Kellogg, Susan Werner, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Explosion, The Klezmatics, Tift Merritt, Tom Chapin, Vieux Farka Touré and many more.
A full listing of performers and stage schedules can be found at www.clearwaterfestival.org/lineup/stage-schedule.
In addition to an outstanding line up of musicians, the Festival also offers audience members opportunities to participate; attendees are invited to sing-along with folk legends at the Circle of Song, where audience participation is the focus, or join in pick-up music at The Jam Tent, where everyone is invited to bring their own instruments and join in.
The festival also offers unique experiences and activities for children of all ages, including The Family Stage, Children’s Area, storytelling, river beach combing and net seining, juggling and roving artists, and face painting. Once again, the wildly popular Todd Crowley’s Musical Petting Zoo will return to the festival –– from accordion to zither, the Zoo’ is a fully interactive, hands-on exhibition for musicians, young and old, novice to professional.
Clearwater’s original hands-on environmental education programs are also on display at the Tideline and Discovery Tents and provide an up-close look at Hudson River life. The Environmental Action Tent highlights Clearwater’s watershed and environmental justice initiatives in cities up and down the Hudson.
The Activists Area has over 50 activists groups in attendance, offering opportunities to learn more about the environmental, social, and political challenges of our communities, and get involved to help make a difference.
New at the Festival this year is Bash the Trash, an instrument building workshop with Instrument Building Stations open on Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Festival goers can make musical instruments from junk or learn how to make their own trash band.
The Clearwater Festival offers all this plus a Juried Crafts Fair, Green Living Expo, Working Waterfront with rides on small boats and tall ships including the sloop Clearwater and the schooner Mystic Whaler, and an Artisanal Food & Farm Market, presenting some of the Hudson Valley’s most excellent foods and specialty items – all local.
Field Music & Performances offer up a wide variety of off-stage performances and interactive musical exhibits, including the Jam Tent; Jugglers, Clowns, & other Roving Artists; and the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus. Performances that make the Clearwater Festival unique include Story Grove, where festival-goers can sit under the cool shade trees and listen to America’s best-loved storytellers. The Arm-of-the-Sea Theater, a contemporary mask and puppet theater company, perform large-scale production by the river’s edge.
Festival attendees are encouraged to take Metro North to the Croton Harmon Train Station, located next to the entrance to Croton Point Park, where they can step off the train and onto the free shuttle, and within minutes arrive at the gates. The Clearwater and Metro North Great Getaway Package includes a discounted
Clearwater Festival pass and rail fare and can be purchased from any Metro-North ticket office or full-service ticket vending machine. For more for more information, visit the Metro North Getaways web page at http://new.mta.info/enjoy-clearwater-festival-june-15-16.
It all takes place on the banks of the mighty Hudson River at the beautiful Croton Point Park in Westchester County, NY. Tickets to the Clearwater Festival are now on sale and can be purchased at www.ClearwaterFestival.org, or by calling (845) 236-5596. Festival gates open at 9:00AM on both days. Children under 12 get in free.
The Clearwater Festival is wheelchair accessible and most stage programming is staffed with American Sign Language Interpreters.
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival is produced by the nonprofit, member-supported, environmental organization Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. All proceeds go directly to support Clearwater’s environmental research, education and advocacy efforts to help preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as communities in the Hudson River Valley.
