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July 28, 2026
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Farm Aid to Host Showcase During Neptune Festival
Farm Aid Family Reunion: “We the Farmers” Takeover Will Bring Music and Farmer Stories to Virginia Beach Neptune Festival on Friday, Sept. 25
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — As part of Farm Aid 2026, Farm Aid is hosting a pre-festival event — Farm Aid Family Reunion: “We the Farmers” Takeover — at the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival. The event will be held on Friday, Sept. 25 at Neptune’s Park at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Music will begin at 6 p.m. ET.
Farm Aid will bring its signature blend of music and advocacy to one of the outdoor stages at the 52nd Annual Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend for a special evening celebrating 250 years of farmers and artists who represent the roots of American culture. Through performances by talented artists and powerful stories from farmers, the “We the Farmers” Takeover will honor the rich musical traditions of Black, Indigenous and artists of color while bringing the community together in celebration.
The evening will spotlight rural communities, family farmers and eaters from all corners of our landscape, highlighting the enduring connection between food, culture and fellowship. The event is free and open to the public, with food and beverages available for purchase throughout the Neptune Festival grounds.
“Farmers and musicians are ordinary folks who provide us with extraordinary gifts,” said Farm Aid Co-Executive Director Shorlette Ammons. “Just as we often find ourselves, our situation, our burdens or our joys in a song, ‘We the Farmers’ is an invitation for eaters to recognize themselves in the lives of the people who grow our food. Their story is not separate from our own but rather a reflection of collectivism, community and a shared humanity and responsibility for the land and one another.”
What: Farm Aid Family Reunion: “We the Farmers” Takeover at Neptune Festival
When: Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 to 11 p.m. ET
Where: Neptune’s Park, Virginia Beach Oceanfront
3001 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Who: Rissi Palmer’s Revue featuring Rebecca Porter, Roberta Lea and The Smoke; shirlette ammons; Kyshona; Chris Pierce; and the Red Crook-ed Sky American Indian Dance Troupe. Hosted by “The Professor” Nick Harrison.
Artists will share the stage with farmers for a special blend of storytelling, music and fellowship in celebration of the artists, organizers, activists, advocates and farmers who work to fight for a just, fair and equitable food system.
This event is hosted by Farm Aid and presented in collaboration with Smithsonian Folklife Festival, along with Virginia is for Lovers, Visit Virginia Beach and the Virginia Department of Agriculture. It is produced in partnership with the 52nd Annual Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend and Unmanageable Arts.
Tickets for Farm Aid 2026, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, are available for purchase at farmaid.org/2026 and Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater box office (open only on Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Ticket prices range from $85 to $350. For venue information, visit farmaid.org/festival/venue-information. More details are also available at farmaid.org/festival.
Attendees are encouraged to join the conversation on social media by using the hashtags #WeTheFarmers and #FarmAid2026. For festival updates, follow Farm Aid on Facebook (facebook.com/farmaid), Instagram (instagram.com/farmaid), X (@FarmAid), Bluesky (@farmaid.org) and Threads (threads.com/@farmaid).
About Farm Aid
Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $90 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.
About Neptune Festival
Founded in 1974, Virginia Beach Neptune Festival is a nonprofit organization producing more than 40 events each year. Neptune Festival’s mission is to celebrate the spirit of Virginia Beach through authentic experiences that foster joy, community and connection for all. Its signature event is an annual, three-day, family-friendly festival attracting more than 400,000 attendees, featuring live music, cultural programming, a 400+ vendor boardwalk activation, an international sand sculpting championship, and major civic events, generating $26.1 million in total economic impact for the City of Virginia Beach each year. The 52nd Annual Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend will take place Friday, Sept. 25 to Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. For festival updates, follow Neptune Festival on Facebook (facebook.com/NeptuneFestival) and Instagram (instagram.com/NeptuneFestival), and visit www.neptunefestival.com.