Beacon, NY – Great Hudson River Revival (Clearwater Festival), the country’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, brings together major musical acts and Clearwater’s own brand of green activism for a unique weekend every June. Clearwater Festival 2014, which takes place on June 21 and 22, on the banks of the Hudson River at beautiful Croton Point Park, Croton-On-Hudson, NY, recently announced its lineup of musical headliners.
Founded 49 years ago by musician and activist Pete Seeger and his wife Toshi Seeger, this year’s Great Hudson River Revival promises to be a special celebration of the Seeger’s and their legacy; this year marks the first Clearwater Festival since Pete and Toshi’s recent passing. The festival is pleased to welcome many Clearwater friends old and new to the celebration, many of whom will perform special tributes during the event.
The 2014 Clearwater Festival performer line-up features a diverse group of established and emerging talent including Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones with her new project, Puss N Boots (Norah, Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper); singer-songwriter, Rufus Wainwright; alternative Country/Swing band,The Mavericks; legendary guitarist and singer, Richard Thompson; jam band moe. playing a special acoustic set; Martin Sexton; Josh Ritter; Dar Williams; David Bromberg’s Big Band; ukulele virtuoso,Jake Shimabukuro; Buckwheat Zydeco; soul diva, Bettye LaVette; indie jazz/soul band, Lake Street Dive; Congolese Salsa great, Ricardo Lemvo, children’s music artist Laurie Berkner, and many others. Visit www.clearwaterfestival.org for complete list of performers.
Pete Seeger’s vision and desire to clean up the Hudson River in the 1960s prompted a series of riverside concerts throughout the Hudson Valley to help raise the funds to “build a boat to save the river.” The banjo case was laid open to accept contributions, and this was the start of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater that also laid the foundations for the Great Hudson River Revival – today also known as the Clearwater Festival.
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival is a destination for music fans and families alike, offering a plethora of family-oriented programming and activities and vendors for kids, including special performances on the Family Stage, juggling and roving artists, Children’s Area, storytelling, river beach combing and net seining, and lots of kid-friendly activities.
Other offerings that make the Revival experience unique and memorable include the Working Waterfront, offering rides on small boats and tall ships including the sloop Clearwater and the schooner Mystic Whaler. The Handcrafters’ Village showcases over 50 crafters and folk artists with quality hand-made items, demonstrations and workshops. The Green Living Expo is the place to learn about sustainable products, services, concepts and technologies for informed lifestyle and business choices. The Discovery and Tideline tents feature Clearwater’s original hands-on environmental education programs and Hudson River research. The Environmental Action Tent highlights Clearwater’s watershed and environmental justice initiatives in our Hudson Valley communities. An expanded Artisanal Food & Farm Market offers Hudson Valley foods and specialty items as well as demonstrations and performances by local musicians.
Ticket prices start at $70.00 and are available for purchase now at www.ClearwaterFestival.org. Clearwater members receive 20% off. Kids 12 and under are free.
The Clearwater Festival is wheelchair accessible and most stage programming is staffed with American Sign Language Interpreters.
To stay up to date on all Clearwater Festival news, please visit ClearwaterFestival.org and the official Facebook and Twitter pages.
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 education and advocacy.
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History of the Great Hudson River Revival, (Clearwater Festival)
Back in the mid-sixties, after centuries of accumulated sewage pollution and industrial dumping of toxic chemicals, the Hudson River, like many of America’s most important estuaries, was declared “dead”. The river’s fragile ecological system was devastated. Not a single fish was found in many areas, and the level of commercial fishing had dropped so dramatically as to be regarded as nonexistent. Recognizing this incredible social and environmental tragedy, in 1966, Pete Seeger decided “to build a boat to save the river” by holding small, fundraising river concerts throughout the Hudson River Valley where he opened his banjo case to collect contributions to build the sloop Clearwater, a tall ship that would become recognized as America’s Environmental Flagship and a symbol of environmental advocacy. Since the 1960s, the Clearwater Festival has grown into the country’s largest annual environmental celebration, its music, dance and storytelling, education and activism attracting thousands of people of all ages to the shores of the Hudson River.
About Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Inspiring, educating and activating millions of people for over 45 years, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has been at the forefront of the environmental movement as champion of the Hudson River, working to pass landmark legislation like the Clean Water Act, providing innovative educational programs, environmental advocacy, and musical celebrations, including the renowned annual Clearwater Festival. To date, more than half a million people have experienced their first real look at an estuary’s ecosystem aboard the sloop Clearwater. The organization’s strong connection to youth, environmental education, and its agenda to create the next generation of environmental leaders are all part of building and strengthening a Green Cities Initiative for a green economy and a more inclusive and diverse environmental movement. Utilizing the greatest natural resource in the region, the Hudson River, Clearwater has become the grassroots model for producing positive changes to protect our planet. For more information, visit www.clearwater.org.
