Patti Smith Group Central Park

Purple litho photogrpah of Patti Smith holding a dove in each hand with black text around the rim and purple text below the image

The Dr. Pepper Central Park Music Festival was first known as the Schaefer Music Festival, sponsored by the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company. Festival tickets sold for $1 to $2.50 in 1968. In 1977, Dr. Pepper took over the music festival sponsorship, changing the festival name. After noise complaints, the festival moved from Central Park to Pier 84 in 1981. Reebok sponsored the festival starting in 1989, with the last event held the following year in 1990. 

The Patti Smith Group performed at the Dr. Pepper Central Park Music Festival in August 1979. Other acts in the 1979 lineup included Joan Baez, Blondie, Journey, the Ramones, Talking Heads, and The Cars. Prior to the festival, in May 1979, the Patti Smith group released their third and final album, Wave. The album was described as “radio-friendly mainstream pop rock” and received mixed reviews after being less successful than their previous album, Easter. The rock radio station WPLJ 95.5 used the Wave album cover, an image of Patti Smith holding two doves photographed by Robert Mapplethorpe, to promote the band’s show at the Central Park festival.