​Clearwater Downsizing Annual Music Festival

BEACON, NY — Clearwater announced it will be hosting a smaller community celebration in 2020 in lieu of its annual music festival, The Great Hudson River Revival. A Clearwater Community Celebration will take place later this year on June 20-21 on Clearwater’s traditional Father’s Day Weekend on a smaller portion of Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson.

After the 2019 Great Hudson River Revival, the feasibility of another similar event in 2020 was analyzed. Following a thorough review of festival production practices, monies still owed to 2019 vendors and increasing expenses every year, Clearwater's board of directors decided to produce a smaller event in 2020.

Clearwater Executive Director Greg Williams said the 2019 Great Hudson River Revival was a major success in the sense that thousands of people celebrated the Hudson River through music, dance, volunteerism, education and activism.

“Due to many factors, including a wet weather forecast and rain on Sunday causing low attendance, the festival suffered a financial loss of approximately $190,000," he said.

"Since June, we have been working to keep the organization stable, while paying down our debt to festival vendors, and we are grateful for their patience," Williams said.

He said it would be irresponsible of Clearwater to move forward with replicating another million-dollar Clearwater Festival in 2020 without having addressed the financial loss incurred in 2019.

"We expect that these steps, with the public's ongoing support, will put us in the best position to return with Revival in 2021," Williams said.

For years, The Great Hudson River Revival was Clearwater's most important annual fundraiser. It grew into the country's oldest music and environmental festival, uniquely spreading environmental awareness, education and activism, according to a spokesperson.

However, for a small nonprofit, which receives very little corporate sponsorship), absorbing a loss of $190,000 is extremely challenging.

“This stark reality may not make it easier for many to accept Revival’s absence this summer,” Williams said, “but we hope that our transparency will give the public some confidence that we keep our mission close at heart; to continue the work that we do year-round on the Hudson, educating and inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders.”

Details of the Community Celebration will be announced in the coming months, organizers said it will be true to the organization’s roots, within budget and supportive of the dedicated volunteers and audience who look forward to The Great Hudson River Revival each year.

Attendance for the Community Celebration will be limited to 529 attendees, due to venue space capacity.

Clearwater expects to return to a full-scale Great Hudson River Revival in 2021, re-envisioned as a sustainable, less commercial event.

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