Farm Aid will bring star-studded lineup to area in September
Farm Aid will return to the Pittsburgh area for the second time in its 32-year history on Sept. 16 at the KeyBank Pavilion in Burgettstown.
Farm Aid 2017 will be headlined by its superstar group of founding members and board members— Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews — joined by special guests Jack Johnson, The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow and more.
Tickets, ranging from $49.50 to $199.50, will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. June 23 at LiveNation.com, all Ticketmaster locations and by phone at 1800-745-3000. A limited number of pre-sale tickets will be sold beginning at noon Wednesday.
“Family farm agriculture is the heart of Pennsylvania,” Farm Aid president and founder Willie Nelson said in a statement. “What’s happening
in Western Pennsylvania and the region shows us that we can count on family farmers to strengthen our communities and connect people. Whether we live in rural or urban places, food — and music — brings us all together.”
The Farm Aid concerts began in September 1985, in Champaign, Ill., prompted by a comment Bob Dylan made at Live Aid the previous year about how it would be a good idea to raise money for American farmers, who were struggling to save their family farms.
Over its history, Farm Aid has raised more than $50 million to support a variety of programs that assist farmers.
Farm Aid made its first Pennsylvania stop at the Burgettstown amphitheater in 2002, and also stopped in Pennsylvania to play Hershey in 2012.
This year’s bill also will include Jamey Johnson, Blackberry Smoke, Valerie June, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and Insects vs Robots.
Along with the music, farmersand artists will discuss pressing issues on the FarmYard Stage, and there will be local and organic foods at Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions and HOMEGROWN Village with hands-on activities about soil, water, energy, food and farming.
Farm Aid also will team with IfOnly to offer signed memorabilia from this year’s headliners. Fans can purchase and bid on these special offerings starting Wednesday at www.ifonly.com/FarmAid.