Farm Aid 2026 Brings Music and Local Agriculture to Virginia Beach

The festival, featuring board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews, emphasizes the connection between the land and the local economy. Matthews, a Virginia native, highlighted the importance of the event, noting that farmers serve as the foundation of community health and stability. Beyond the main stage, the festival transforms the amphitheater into an interactive agricultural hub.

The HOMEGROWN Village will anchor the event, hosting hands-on workshops ranging from seed-saving and wool processing to climate-focused agricultural education. Attendees can participate in a collaborative mural project led by artist Pamela Bliss or engage with local youth through the FFA and 4-H markets. In line with its mission, the festival ensures that every concession utilizes ingredients sourced from family farms using ecological practices, including regeneratively grown grains featured in festival-specific brews. A food drive, conducted in partnership with Support+Feed, will run simultaneously to benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.