Harry Chapin (Photo:Robert Berkowitz)

Saturday, July 16 marks the 30th anniversary of the tragic death of singer-songwriter and social activist Harry Chapin, whose music and humanitarianism inspired many. Two concerts featuring his songs will take place on Long Island, where he resided with his family.

Harry’s daughter Jen, his brothers Tom and Steve, his nieces The Chapin Sisters, members of his band, and others take part in “Harry Chapin: A Celebration in Song” on the Chapin Rainbow Stage at Huntington, New York’s Heckscher Park (located off Route 25A in Huntington Village) on the 16th at 8:30 p.m.. The concert — a collaborative effort of the Huntington Arts Council, Long Island Cares, the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Town of Huntington — will be preceded by a re-dedication of the stage. Chapin and his family lived in Huntington Bay, and the troubadour and his wife, Sandy, were very active in the community.

On Monday, July 18, some two-dozen Long Island artists who are “Just Wild About Harry” will perform 18 of his story songs for a cause to which he dedicated himself — eradicating hunger — during a 7:30 p.m. concert at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in East Meadow’s Eisenhower Park (located off Merrick and Stewart Avenues). Chapin, 38, died in a Long Island Expressway crash while en route to perform a free concert at the park. The annual concert there is organized by Stuart Markus, a Long Island-based singer-songwriter. Besides his folk harmony trio Gathering Time, artists slated to perform include Doc Butler & JC Cobb, Grand Folk Railroad, Josh Joffen, Kendall & Korb, Cecilia Kirtland & Robin Greenstein, Doug Kwartler, Debra Lynne & Chris Tursi, MediaCrime, Rough Folk, Ed Ryan, Russ Seeger, Patricia Shih, Christine Solimeno, Martha Trachtenberg, Frank Walker and Judith Zweiman.

Concertgoers are asked to bring their own chairs/blankets and canned goods for Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Food Bank to both free concerts. Long Island Cares is a nonprofit organization launched by Chapin the year before he died. While at the park concerts, attendees also will have an opportunity to pick up postcards to be sent to the U.S. Postal Service’s Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee expressing support for a commemorative stamp in honor of Harry Chapin. Postcards also may be obtained through Long Island Cares by contacting Michael Haynes at mhaynes [at] licares.org.