Farm Aid Returns With Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Sturgill Simpson and More
Farm Aid is returning to Hartford, Connecticut’s Xfinity Theatre on September 25th with a lineup that includes board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Margo Price alongside Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Bettye LaVette, Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Allison Russell, Particle Kid, and Ian Mellencamp. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10:00 am EDT.
“The experience of the past 18 months has reminded us how much we need each other,” Farm Aid President and Founder Willie Nelson said in a statement. “I’m so glad that music is bringing us all back together at Farm Aid 2021 to celebrate family farmers. When we combine music, family farmers, and good food, we have the power to grow the kind of agriculture that strengthens all of us.”
The first Farm Aid was held at Champaign, Illinois’ Memorial Stadium on September 22nd, 1985. It’s been held every single year since 1992, although they were forced to hold a streaming event in 2020 due to the pandemic. The event has raised over $60 million for America’s farmers.
The 2018 Farm Aid was also held at Hartford’s Xfinity Theatre. “Live performances by artists who are passionate about agriculture and good food are the deep roots that sustain Farm Aid’s year-round work for family farmers,” Farm Aid Executive Director Carolyn Mugar said in a statement. “We’re thrilled that Hartford is welcoming Farm Aid back again after our successful 2018 event. We’re grateful to the management and staff at Xfinity Theatre for working hand-in-hand with us to ensure the safety of our artists, crew, volunteers, farmers, and fans.”
The event will mark Neil Young’s first public performance since the 2019 Farm Aid at Wisconsin’s Alpine Valley Music Theatre. He spoke in early 2020 about a possible run of North American arenas with Crazy Horse, but he recently told fans he has no immediate plans to book that. “Not until the audience is safe,” he wrote. “Those venues are not ready.”
