No Flight of Fancy: 2018 EAGLEFEST a Soaring Success

Croton-on-Hudson, NY - The old expression "It's for the birds!" was never more apt than on Saturday, February 10th, when more than 5,000 bird enthusiasts migrated to Croton Point Park for the 14th Annual Hudson River EagleFest festival. The festival boasted the participation of over 25 environmental groups and featured live programs spotlighting birds of prey, bird walks, bus tours, live music, children's activities and fabulous food trucks filled with first-rate fare. Legendary local singer/songwriter Dar Williams performed a set of her personal and charming compositions.
 
Senator Terrence Murphy, who partnered with Teatown Reservation to sponsor EagleFest 2018, greeted the overflow crowd in the main tent. Senator Murphy stated, "It is exciting to see our national symbol in its natural surroundings right here in our own backyard. We are committed to seeing that EagleFest continues every year. It has been fantastic working with Teatown, Westchester Parks and all the volunteers that make this event happen. I want to convey a special thank you to our veterans for their service. We want to make sure that our veterans can continue to enjoy EagleFest for free." 
 
Senator Murphy also noted the presence of Frank Patience, Secretary of the New York State Senate, who, despite the long trip, was attending the event for the second consecutive year in a row. "He enjoyed the festival so much last year he adopted an eagle," said Senator Murphy.
 
"We started EagleFest 14 years ago and it has become a much anticipated and celebrated event," said Kevin Carter, Executive Director for Teatown. "It is inspiring to see a bald eagle up close - it is an exciting experience that people do not soon forget. At Teatown our mission is to inspire the community to take a life-long interest in our environment, to get people to experience the outdoors and fall in love with nature."
 
Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins added to the festive mood by quoting a few lines from Steve Miller's "Fly Like an Eagle." Other elected officials and invited guests included Senator David Carlucci, Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, and Ossining Town Supervisor Dana Levenberg
 
Nearly 150 veterans and their guests attended this year's EagleFest. In addition to sponsoring EagleFest, Senator Murphy has been in the forefront of efforts to refurbish the bird's natural habitat. To help maintain their home, Senator Murphy secured a $500,000 appropriation for a critical meadow restoration project at Croton Point Park.