Over the past five decades, Peter Yarrow, the singer and songwriter known for being the Peter in the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, has earned multiple accolades and honors.

He sang at the former Senator John Kerry’s wedding and at inaugural events for President Bill Clinton. He collected lifetime achievement awards. He lent his voice and name to various causes, strumming his guitar for the crowd at Occupy Wall Street.

But Mr. Yarrow will not be making a planned appearance at a free, outdoor arts festival in the small town of Norwich, N.Y., because of a backlash stirred up over a decades-old crime.

In the era of the #MeToo movement, offenses that had been actively hidden away or, in some cases, faded from memory after decades have burst forward and ignited fresh outrage. Performances have been canceled. People have been “canceled.” And this week, Mr. Yarrow, 81, emerged as the latest case.