By Judy O’Gorman Alvarez
RED BANK – Riverside Gardens Park will, for the first time, be the setting for the Clearwater Festival, a two-day celebration of music, environment information and sailboat rides.
Promoting and saving the waters – the rivers, lakes, oceans of the world – may feel like a never-ending task. New Jersey Friends of Clearwater (NJFC) has been raising awareness and money for years. And New Jersey’s oldest festival celebrating song, nature and community is one way to reach people.
Like for many other events, the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined the festival for two years, forcing it to be virtual. Now, back for its 47th year – and live – the New Jersey Clearwater Festival will be rocking and rolling at Riverside Gardens Park for two days Aug. 6 and 7.
Music lovers and clean water and climate supporters of all ages can bring their blankets and lawn chairs to soak up music and education. “It’s a beautiful spot to celebrate our environment with music, song and an exhilarating, wind-in-your-hair sail on the Navesink,” said Ed Dlugosz, NJFC president.
The free festival will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Two stages will feature a variety of musical styles from acts including The Wag, Spook Handy, Poppa John Bug, Tyler Eats World, singer/songwriter duo Donna & Rick Nestler, The Strazzacasters, students of the Lakehouse Music Academy and many more.
Organizers, fans and supporters will get a chance to chat with representatives of environmental groups such as Clean Ocean Action, the Littoral Society, Sierra Club, Clean Water Action and the Climate Change Lobby and others who will provide in-depth information on events and issues.
Just as the world has changed, the focus of Clearwater is not just about water anymore. Climate change is an essential issue; the festival’s theme is “Fight Climate Change.”
“We’re holding an environmental justice roundtable on Saturday,” Dlugosz said, “bringing experts from all over the state.”
The panel will discuss the ever-worsening situation, the people it affects and what needs to be done.
As the organization points out, disasters are made worse due to climate change, causing havoc including worsening extreme weather/hurricanes, worsening water shortages, more crop failures, more droughts and more flooding, among other crises.
As always, the festival pays homage to legendary folk singer Pete Seeger, who died in 2014. He created the Clearwater organization more than 50 years ago.
“It all started (with) Pete Seeger, who was an avid sailor,” said Dlugosz. “All his songs at the start of his environmental career were a result of sailing down his dirty stream – the Hudson.” At the time Seeger lived in Beacon, New York, alongside the Hudson River, notoriously polluted then.
Seeger’s launch of his Sloop Clearwater and the creation of the organization helped spread the message for a cleaner environment by word, music and action.
“Now New Jersey Friends of Clearwater reflects the goals, growth and outreach in this new millennium,” the website states.
Dlugosz is encouraged by the successes of Clearwater and other environmental groups. “We’ve been on the right track,” he said about cleaning up the water. “It’s the regulators who aren’t doing their job.”
The festival has had many hosts over the years: Sandy Hook, Asbury Park, Long Branch, Perth Amboy.
“What we’re most excited about being in Red Bank is having access to all things Red Bank is famous for,” said Dlugosz, “diversity, the action going on.” He points out that Red Bank provides an opportunity to reach a new audience.
What they need are volunteers. Some help is coming in the form of the Red Bank Elks who said members of their youth group would be on hand to help, but “we need people,” Dlugosz said.
For more information, visit njclearwater.org/festival.
The article originally appeared in the July 21 – 27, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
