Great Hudson River Revival Announces Initial Performer Line-up
Clearwater’s 2012 Great Hudson River Revival, also known as the Clearwater Festival, the country’s oldest music and environmental festival, will be held on June 16 and 17 this year. Over the weekend, hundreds of musical artists will appear at the beautiful Croton Point Park in Westchester County, NY to perform on 7 bio-diesel powered stages. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at www.ClearwaterFestival.org, or by calling 845 236-5596.
“This year’s Festival will feature a global line-up that has cross-generational appeal,” said Steve Lurie, Festival Director. “From Folk to Bluegrass, Native American to African, Cajun to Swing and Indie-Rock to Blues, we have a line-up that transcends musical boundaries and geographic borders.”
Artists confirmed to date include Ani DiFranco, Béla Fleck, Dawes, Deer Tick, Punch Brothers, The Klezmatics, Donna The Buffalo, Peter Yarrow, Tom Paxton, Holly Near, Aoife O’Donovan, Tim O’Brien, Tom Chapin, Joanne Shenandoah, Toshi Reagon & Big Lovely, Tao Seeger Brass Band, Raul Midón, Jill Sobule, Sara Watkins, Ollabelle, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Guy Davis Band, David Amram, Joe Purdy, Melissa Ferrick, Joseph Firecrow Band, The Deadly Gentlemen, Dala, Joel Rafael, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason with Swingology, Jesse Lége & Bayou Brew, Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys with many more to be announced.
Clearwater Festival will celebrate a number of milestones this year with sets by Arlo Guthrie & The Guthrie Family in honor of Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is celebrating their 50th anniversary, and Walkabout Clearwater Chorus, who will perform with Peter Yarrow, is celebrating their 25th anniversary.
World music artists will have a bigger presence at Clearwater’s Festival this year, including Tinawiren, a group of Tuareg-Berber musicians from the Sahara Desert region of Mali. Balkan Beat Box elicits a blend of musical styles fusing electronica with hard-edged folk music from North Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe. Alsarah & The Nubatones perform a unique blend of East African retro-pop influenced by the spirit of Sudanese and Nubian cultures.
Clearwater Festival is a festival family-oriented weekend event taking place every year at Croton Point Park in Westchester County, NY. The Festival offers attendees an opportunity to gather to enjoy music, celebrate the Hudson River, and take part in the organization’s commitment to protecting our environment and community, and mission to inspire, educate and activate the next generation of environmental leaders.
The Festival’s family-oriented programming includes the Family Stage, juggling and roving artists, face painting plus lots of other activities and vendors. Kids 12 years old and under get in free.
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, performing large-scale production by the river’s edge.
New to the festival this year is The Traveling Musical Petting Zoo – from accordion to zither, The Zoo’ is a fully interactive, hands-on exhibition for musicians, young and old, novice to professional.
The Festival offers much more than just great musical artists; at the Working Waterfront, attendees can go out on small boats and tall ships, including the sloop Clearwater and the Mystic Whaler.
The Discovery and Tideline Tents feature Clearwater’s original hands-on environmental education programs and Hudson River research.
The Environmental Action Tent will highlight Clearwater’s watershed and environmental justice initiatives in cities up and down the Hudson.
The juried Crafts Area showcases over 50 crafters and folk artists with quality hand-made items, demonstrations and workshops. The Green Living Expo Tent is the place to learn about products, services, concepts and technologies that can inform your lifestyle and business choices.
An expanded Artisanal Food & Farm Market, a big hit at last year’s festival, will offer up Hudson Valley foods and specialty items.
The Festival’s success is dependent upon the 1,000 volunteers who make possible all that festival goers see and hear and experience. There are many ways for the people to get involved as volunteers, with over 45 committees to choose from, including Site Crew, Working Waterfront, Environmental Action and many others. Those interested in volunteering at the Clearwater Festival should contact Linda Richards, volunteer coordinator at VolCoord@Clearwater.org, or 845-726-8080, ext. 7105.
The festival is wheelchair accessible and most stage programming is staffed with American Sign Language Interpreters.
All proceeds from the Clearwater Festival directly support Clearwater’s environmental education, advocacy and research to help preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the communities of the Hudson River Valley.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.ClearwaterFestival.org, or call 845-236-5596.
