Eatontown environmentalist Ed Dlugosz will once again spearhead the annual Clearwater Festival, a two-day celebration of energy awareness and conservation.

The theme of the 32nd annual festival is Global Warming: You Better Sweat It!, said Dlugosz, who is in his fourth year as president of Monmouth County Friends of Clearwater.

In April and May, MC Friends of Clearwater engaged in outreach efforts to spread the message about the inherent dangers of global warming; group members have spoken to religious groups, community organizations, and high schools.

"Spreading awareness about the problems associated with global warming was a major task this year, and is reflected in the theme of the festival," said Dlugosz, who has been a software engineer at Fort Monmouth for the past 30 years.

He and his wife Linda, a nursery school teacher at the Ruth Hyman Jewish Community Center in Deal, are members of Temple Beth Torah in Ocean.

The Clearwater Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18-19 at Sunset Park in Asbury Park.

"We are sharing the message that people — every individual — can make a difference, by using energy-saving devices and alternative sources of energy," he said. "We've also encouraged county residents to contact their congressional representatives and urge them to support related legislation."

The county Clearwater group is expecting about 6,000 people to attend the two-day event, according to Dlugosz. Many will come to enjoy the musical performances as well as the message; headliners this year include Al Stewart ("Year of the Cat") and Chris Barron, lead singer for the Spin Doctors. Other performers include Glen Burtnik, Steel Mill, the Hudson River Sloop Singers, and the Victorious Gospel Choir.

The festival's three performance stages will be powered by solar energy, Dlugosz said.

"Our credo says that the aim of Monmouth County Friends of Clearwater is to touch the people surrounding them in their communities, and by word or deed convey the importance of conservation and reparation of the earth," he said.

The MC Friends of Clearwater pay tribute at each festival to activist-singer Pete Seeger, who formed the Hudson River Clearwater group almost 30 years ago. Seeger made regular appearances at the festival until several years ago, when ill health forced him to remain in his upstate New York community.

The Hudson River and Monmouth County Clearwater groups now have a membership that exceeds 8,000, according to Dlugosz.

"At the annual festival, we use music to help spread the word about the importance of protecting the environment," he said. "Many of those who attend often have an interest in this subject already, and we can help them take the next step. Our efforts have been rewarding for us on a personal level, and for the health of the planet on which we live."

Additional information about MC Friends of Clearwater and the festival performance schedule is available on the group's Web site.