The star studded festival is happening in September

The annual Farm Aid music and food festival is set to return to Saratoga Springs, New York, on Saturday, September 21, at Broadview Stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Tickets will be available to the public starting Friday, July 26, at 10 a.m. ET through LiveNation.com.

The 2024 festival will feature a full day of music, local food, and agrarian experiences. Notable performances include Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds). Other artists set to perform include Mavis Staples, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson with The Travelin’ McCourys, Charley Crockett, Joy Oladokun, Southern Avenue, Cassandra Lewis, and Jesse Welles, with more to be announced.

Farm Aid 2024 will emphasize the crucial role of family farmers in providing safe, nutritious food, maintaining healthy soil and water, and supporting vibrant communities. The event will showcase innovative and resilient farmers, featuring them on stage and throughout the festival. Pre-festival events will also gather farmers and advocates to highlight their work and strengthen their community.

This marks the third Farm Aid festival in New York and the second in Saratoga Springs. The first New York event was held in 2007 at Randall’s Island, where Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions® debuted. The festival returned to Saratoga Springs in 2013, where Pete Seeger made a surprise appearance.

“We’re energized to be back in New York. The farmers here have always found ways to innovate and contribute to their communities, even as they deal with uncertainties, extreme weather, and policies that favor corporations over people,” said Farm Aid President and Founder Willie Nelson. “Farmers need us to stand with them as they work to grow our future.”

According to the 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture Census, New York State lost 3,000 farms between 2017 and 2022. Farms are declining due to rising production and labor costs, consolidation, and abnormal weather patterns. New York’s nearly 3,200 dairy farms produce 15.7 billion pounds of milk annually, making it the fifth largest dairy state in the country. Dairy farms, in particular, face challenges from rising costs and industry consolidation. All New York farmers are on the frontlines of climate change, innovating to address crop losses, disease, and heat stress from rising temperatures and extreme weather events.

Festival attendees will enjoy a diverse menu of local flavors through Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions®, featuring ingredients grown or raised by family farmers using ecological practices. The HOMEGROWN Village will offer hands-on activities, exhibits on soil, water, energy, food, and farming, and presentations from farmers and artists on the FarmYard Stage. The HOMEGROWN Skills tent will celebrate the cultural diversity and know-how of agriculture.

Tickets for the festival range from $85 to $325 and will be available on LiveNation.com. Pre-sale tickets can be purchased starting Wednesday, July 24, at 10 a.m. ET at farmaid.org/tickets.

For the latest updates, follow Farm Aid on X (@FarmAid), Facebook (facebook.com/farmaid), and Instagram (instagram.com/farmaid), and visit farmaid.org/festival. Join the conversation on social media with the hashtags #FarmAid2024 and #Road2FarmAid.

Sponsors of Farm Aid 2024 include Tractor Beverage Co., Patagonia Workwear, and Organic Valley. The festival welcomes corporate sponsorship and VIP hospitality opportunities. For more information, contact Anna Mulè at anna@farmaid.org.

Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. For over 35 years, Farm Aid artists and board members, including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Margo Price, have hosted the annual festival to raise funds for supporting family farmers. The organization has raised nearly $80 million to help farmers thrive, promote the Good Food Movement, advocate for changes to the industrial agriculture system, and support family farm food.