Clearwater to return to its ‘musical roots’ with free Folk Picnic

Sep 2

Written By HVNY

“Clearwater's Folk Picnic is a return to our musical roots,” organizers say in anticipation of the non-profit organization’s second annual Folk Picnic at USC Park in Beacon this weekend.

“In the 1960s when Pete and Toshi Seeger and their co-founders set out to build Clearwater, they organized community folk picnic fundraisers using music as a tool to unite people behind a shared goal of restoring and protecting the Hudson River. Nearly 60 years later, Clearwater is carrying our musical heritage forward with a free, community-centered day of music, celebration, family activities, and Hudson River advocacy.”

Performers for Saturday’s Folk Picnic include Hudson Valley-based band, Beyond the Ridge, plus Jacob Bernz, Reggie Harris, Linda Richards, The Wild Swan Band, and the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus.

The event is also a culmination of Clearwater’s summer fundraiser, Paddle for Our Hudson, where participants (including yours truly at HVNY), spent time kayaking, SUPing and canoeing on the Hudson River to help raise money – and awareness – for the river, and the education and advocacy organization.

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Annual Folk Picnic
Saturday, September 6, 2025 from noon to 6pm
Cost of admission: Free
The Theatre at USC Park, Beacon
A free, community-centered day of music, celebration, family activities, and Hudson River advocacy. Bring a chair or blanket, a full-reusable water bottle, and if you'd like, an instrument to play. There will also be children's activities including hair wrapping and facepainting, and resfreshments available for purchase, including hotdogs, cookies, and vegetarian plates made by the Beacon Sloop Club, and ice cream cones from Blue Pig Ice Cream. Please plan to bring cash or checks to purchase food from the Beacon Sloop Club. https://www.clearwater.org/folkpicnic/