The Sound of Summer: Hudson River Music Festival Returns on Father’s Day

On June 21, Father’s Day, the Hudson Valley will come alive with the return of the Hudson River Music Festival, featuring four-time Grammy nominee Jesse Welles. The festival is an annual spectacle that marries the best in family fun with electrifying performances by the leading lights of folk and Americana music.

This action-packed, full-day event is rooted in the spirit of a beloved Hudson Valley tradition: the long-running annual folksy picnics-musical celebrations spearheaded over three decades by folk legend and environmentalist Pete Seeger and his wife, Toshi. And like the Seegers’ warm, social, tune-filled soirees, the Hudson River Music Festival unites music lovers and families for a vibrant celebration of culture, community, and consciousness-raising. This year’s event will take place on the eve of America’s 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at scenic Croton Point Park, right on the bank of the majestic Hudson River.

Modeled on Seeger’s original vision, the festival’s musical lineup will boast the very best of both the new wave of consciousness-raising folk musicians and beloved veterans of the Americana, country, blues and roots rock music scenes. It’s a slate of A-listers and up-and-coming performers who all use their art to carry forth a message of togetherness and social awareness.

The event’s headliner is Jesse Welles, whom critics have labeled the most acclaimed folk protest singer-songwriter since Bob Dylan, “a modern-day Woody Guthrie.”

Welles rose to sudden fame through the spread of his lyrically powerful, tuneful anthems against war, class warfare, our troubled healthcare system, and more via social media. Other standouts who will take the stage include Cosmic Country’s frontman Daniel Donato, the Allman Brothers’ guitar virtuoso Warren Haynes, Margo Price, Grahame Lesh, The Guthrie Family Singers, and many others. Following a tradition set by Seeger, some of the performers will collaborate in ways sure to be history-making.

“Woody and Pete set the precedent and were maybe some of the first Americans to carry on the tradition of the government-critical troubadour,” says Jesse Welles. “When you’re looking to write songs in that vein today, they are the template, the mold that you follow.”

“It’s a real honor to be a part of this festival,” adds Welles. “All the artists feel a duty to do it a good service. I’m excited for the moments we’ll have together, and I’ll be listening and watching for the spirit of Pete and Woody in the wings.”

Another artist with a similar mindset is Daniel Donato, the founder of the acclaimed “honky tonk meets psychedelia” group, Cosmic Country.

“My collaboration with Warren and Grahame at the Hudson River Music Festival will be a natural extension of the chemistry we shared at Christmas Jam 2025,” says Donato. “I am truly humbled and excited to be performing alongside two of my favorite musicians, and the audience can expect a set rooted in that shared musical connection.”

The Hudson River Music Festival will let families celebrate Father’s Day with a full day of interactive programming across the festival grounds. It will be a unique slate of activities that entertain, stimulate creativity, and educate young minds about the environment and other vital issues shaping our future.

At the North Star Stage, youngsters can get a taste of music-making at The Rock and Roll Playhouse and even make beats from recycled materials at Bash the Trash. Also featured are an arts-and-crafts area, a participatory Circle of Song, and a host of roaming performers — from a whimsical fish migration/parade by puppeteers from Jim Henson Studios, stilt walkers and magic from New Vaudevillian, and impromptu music and juggling by Nate the Great.

In partnership with the Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie Centers, the festival will also highlight the American song tradition of artists like the above and their stylistic descendants with an on-site exhibit at the Woody Guthrie Tent. This site will also be home to a 45-minute, family-friendly creative writing workshop, two 30-minute song workshops, and performances of Guthrie classics led by New York City Children’s Theater and playwright Frank Ruiz.

Returning to Croton Point Park for the second year, the Hudson River Music Festival is a joint production and promotion of Harper House Music Foundation (HHMF), Riverfest FPS (for Pete’s Sake) and Dayglo Presents.

Harper House is a charity that provides grants to musicians and music non-profits to share their work and preserve the legacy of unique artists like Seeger and Guthrie. The beneficiary of funds raised from this, Riverfest FPS, is a not-for-profit dedicated to presenting this unique annual multicultural festival that educates attendees about vital environmental and sustainability issues.

Dayglo Presents is a long-running live music and media company founded by Peter Shapiro. It currently operates venues in multiple cities, including four Brooklyn Bowl locations, The Capitol Theater, Woodstock’s Bearsville Theater and more. Dayglo is the name behind many famous music festivals, including the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well and The Rock and Roll Playhouse, a 25-city national family concert series that will be a part of the Hudson River Music Festival.

For Dayglo’s Peter Shapiro, it was a dream come true to be charged with bringing this beloved Hudson Valley festival back to life.

“When RiverFest FPS approached us to bring this event back, we eagerly signed up because we believed in what they were building,” says Shapiro. “Pete and Toshi’s folk picnics were something truly singular – music in service of a mission, and when I saw the chance to help carry that forward, it was an easy yes. At Dayglo, we’ve always been drawn to events that mean something beyond the ticket, and this one has that in its DNA, which is hard to find.”

He continues: “We learned a lot from year one and put all of it into year two. The biggest additions are the Rainbow Stage and the North Star Stage. We’ve more than doubled the number of acts and the amount of programming. The North Star Stage is a dedicated space built entirely around kids and families, with The Rock and Roll Playhouse and Bash the Trash. We’ve also doubled the size of the food court and added a significant variety. And Father’s Day was a very intentional choice. This is a festival about the river, about community, about passing something meaningful down to the next generation, and that’s what the day is all about.”

Sara Lee Guthrie of the Guthrie Family Singers—daughter of Arlo Guthrie and granddaughter of Woody Guthrie—has a unique view of this festival, having been part of many of the earlier events produced by the Seeger family.

“There are a few festivals around this world that have the feeling that everyone there is like family,” adds Guthrie. “I’ve shown up year after year to see so many of the same faces, from the volunteers to the performers to the audiences.”

She continues: “I remember one time walking through the parking lot and seeing Pete and Toshi napping in their car! I remember thinking how humble they were, no need for an air-conditioned trailer or an exclusive backstage area. Just out front with everyone else and sleeping, doors wide open! That says a lot about the people and atmosphere there. It’s like home. I know many people my age who probably grew up going, and I imagine and hope many will return and bring their kids too.”

“This kind of community is just exactly what our hearts need now,” concludes Guthrie. “I am very excited to bring with me the next generation of Guthrie Family Singers here to help continue and grow this wonderful and singular tradition.”

Photos courtesy of Hudson River Music Festival
Contributing writer Sal Cataldi is a musician, writer and former publicist living in Hudson Valley NY.

2026 Hudson River Music Festival
Sunday, June 21st
Croton Point Park

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The sounds of summer continue with Grahame Lesh, son of Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead, joining Daniel Donato for a three-night run at Bearsville Theater on June 11 – 13.

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