Beacon park dedication honors Pete and Toshi Seeger

The late Pete and Toshi Seeger will be honored in Beacon on Sunday when a ceremony is held to mark the renaming of Riverfront Park in their honor.

Pete Seeger, the folk musician who died in January, spurred the initiative decades ago to transform the former landfill into a park, according to Beacon Mayor Randy Casale. The park offers sweeping views of the Hudson River and the City of Newburgh and is where the Beacon Sloop Club hosts its annual strawberry, pumpkin and corn festivals. The Seegers lived in nearby Dutchess Junction.

Sunday's ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m., during the Strawberry Festival. A new park sign will be unveiled and remarks offered by city officials, members of the Seeger family, representatives of Clearwater, the Beacon-based environmental organization that Pete Seeger founded, and representatives of the Beacon Sloop Club, which is affiliated with Clearwater.

Toshi Seeger died in July, 11 days shy of the couple's 70th wedding anniversary. She is credited with playing a pivotal role in her husband's career. Pete Seeger won multiple Grammys and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The park will be called Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park.

"Where else would be a better place to name something after him?" Casale said. "And his wife was always at his side."

John W. Barry:jobarry@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4822; Twitter: @JohnBarryPoJo

Visit www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/peteseeger to learn about the famous folk singer from Dutchess Junction through videos, stories and music.