The Last Hoorah: The Beacon Pumpkin Festival
The Beacon Sloop Club held their annual pumpkin Festival at the Pete and Toshi Riverfront Park on Oct. 15, 2023.
Visitors from all over came to enjoy the crisp autumn air and the fall festivities offered by the Sloop Club. Solar powered stage with two performances of live music along with plenty of pumpkins and vendors. With a playground at the park as well, the Sloop Club picked the perfect location for the pumpkin festival.
The Beacon Sloop Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the Hudson River through environmental advocacy. Beginning in the 1960s, it was founded by Pete Seeger, activist and folk singer, and now it has become a large community for environmental lovers.
Pat and Tom, the husband-wife duo who ran the River Ecology tent, are two newer members of the Sloop Club. Moving to Beacon in 2019, they joined the club due to interests in the environment and a great way for them to meet some new people of the town.
“It is fun, but it is the serious side of bringing attention to the water,” said Pat.
Pat’s interest in environmental advocacy started at a young age. While growing up in the Detroit area in the 1960s and 70s, she remembers well when Lake Erie caught on fire due to the dumping of toxic waste. That event sparked her interest.
“That was just before the Clean Water Act. People were suddenly becoming aware that they were ruining their sources of water,” said Pat.
Along with vendors part of the sloop club trying to spread local environmental awareness, many others were there to sell their specialties from food to candles to crystals like Amy.
20 years into her interest in crystals, Amy loves sharing her passion in any way she can. Being a vendor at events like the Pumpkin Festival is her way of making money along with connecting with customers when they step up to her tables.
“I’ve learned so much in my journey. I love sharing, especially with kids because the kids are our future,” said Amy.
Her excitement spikes when teenagers already know certain crystals without having to ask her what they are.
Although living in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. for the past 30 years, she escapes to Beacon to be a vendor to avoid the density Sleepy Hollow experiences this time of the year.
“And you can’t beat the view,” said Amy as she looked out on the Hudson.
Amidst what was left of the pumpkin patch, MJ Martin was in charge of the Fjord Trail table. She noted that she’s been spreading the word about the trail plenty throughout towns that the trail would run through.
“We basically wanted to come and share information and also answer questions and get feedback from folks on the plan,” said Martin. “We’ve been spending a lot of time on Philipstown and Cold Spring and sharing information on the southern end of the trail. We really want to make sure we get the feedback from folks in Beacon…this is a key area for the trail.”
The Pumpkin Festival was the last festival of the year hosted by the Beacon Sloop Club.
