It's time to sponsor your favorite Band. 10 are already sponsored. Don't wait. Call Stacy Jo at 989-619-3333 and chat about it.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

FARMFEST 2010 - AUGUST 12-15

FARMFEST - 13th annual

Farmfest is a four day traditional music festival. Mooosical Magic happens at Farmfest...it's a musician's playground. Gates open on Thursday. Main stage music begins on Friday. Drum Kiva, Fire circle jams, Dance Pavilion events, Parkin lot pickin, candle light labryinth walk, 2nd stage open mic, Blow your Face off harmonica contest, Kids Kids Kids stuff!, workshops, great food, sacred land.

Till the cows come home! ...(and there ain't no cows folks)

Admission to Farmfest 10 - $50 suggested by not required. This is the best deal for Michigan Festivals 09 BY FAR!

PLEASE DONATE EARLY BY SNAIL MAIL IF YOU CAN. Make checks payable to 'Farmfest' 1865 Roby Road Johannesburg, MI 49751 A gate pass will be mailed which you can present to the gate staff when you arrive. It will be up to us to create another magical Farmfest...donations of time, food, talent and mooooola are very important. Give from the heart and watch another year unfold into the wonderfilled event we have grown to love.

Vendors are welcome. We ask that all craft and art vendors choose a location in Vendor Village in the pines or near the entrance to the pines. We will find a site for all craft and art vendors that arrive. Vendors are asked to contact Stacy Jo at 989-786-3273 for reservations. There is room for only six food vendor, and will be booked on a first come basis.

Sponsor a Porta Potty. This was a fun addition to the festival. For a mere $70 you too can place your message and/or artwork on a potty. The porta potties will arrive on Thursday, and there is always one on site all summer.

Farmfest 10 - Utterly Mooagical.

Come Early - Stay Late - Bring friends.

Hugs to all

Stacy Jo

THE LINE UP

(As Farmfest 2009 artists are selected, they will be listed here along with links to their websites.)

It is our belief at Farmfest that "community", our connection with the land, and the music makers are the elements that make the Farmfest magic.

PLEASE CONSIDER BECOMING A SPONSOR

(We would REALLY love to pay these great artists and Farmfest supporters what they are worth this year! With your help we can do that. That's what Farmfest is all about folks...keeping the music alive! Help if you can.)

2009 MAIN STAGE Performers ~

FRIDAY

5:00 PM Ringing of the Farm Bell

5:05 Mike Freer

6:20 Medicine Crow ~ Sponsored by: Illegible Records

7:40 Blue Water Ramblers ~ Sponsored by: AuSable Valley Nor-Eastr Association of Folk

9:00 Orpheum Bell ~ Sponsored by: Sanjay R. Singhal Professional Design Services, PC

10:20 ~ Rootstand

SATURDAY

10:00 Open Mic hosted by our long time buddy KIRBY ~ Sponsored by: Home Comfort Farms LLC

11:20 Brant Leonard

12:40 Rod Alward & The Wild Ukulele String Band

2:00 Loose Strings

3:20 Jo Serrapere and the Willie Dunns

4:40 Jen Sygit ~ Sponsored by Mama Luna Arts

6:00 Cairn to Cairn

7:20 Conga se menna

8:40 Madcat and Kane Trio w/Mark Schrock ~ Sponsored by: Farmhouse Music Organization and Mama Luna Arts

10:00 Saturday Farmfest Magic Jam

SUNDAY

10:00 Spririt songs with February Sky

11:20 The Parkin Lot Pickers w/ Ron Fowler ~ Sponsored by: Home Comfort Farms LLC

12:40 The Alconites

2:00 Steve Diebel

3:20 Jake Allen ~ Sponsored by: Fox on the Hill

4:40 Anna Ashe

6:00 FullCord

7:20 Soul Patch

8:40 Seth Bernard & Daisy May Erlewine ~ Sponsored by: Joe MacNeil

Seth and Daisy May The sweethearts of folk! Farmfest simply isn't Farmfest without Seth and Daisy May. Period!

Kirby, From Harbor Spring, Kirby has been with Farmfest since it's beginning. He hosts our open mic segment on Saturday and jams out at the Fire circle on Saturday night. Big fun.

Ron Fowler, Also a Farmfest Tradition, our story teller extrodinare spooks us and our children at the Ghost story time on Saturday night.

The Blue Water Ramblers, Farmfest opening act each year are our beloved Blue Water Ramblers. Banjo Jim is our Yule log host at 9:00 at the fire circle. If you have never witnessed this annual ritual, this is your year! (very special stuff) Welcome back BWR!

Orpheum Bell...From Lansing and new to the Farmfest stage. Orpheum Bell will mezmorize you with their unique sound and will get you on your feet dancin`! Accordion, banjo, guitar, fiddle, clarinet saw, autoharp and double bass. Friday night is going to be VERY special this year.

Loose Strings...Local home spun good ole boys from Gaylord. First time to Farmfests main stage. You'll be tappin your toes and smilin from ear to ear.

Medicine Crow ..Now here's a guy who is no stranger to Michigan Folk festivals. His down home style and insightful lyrics will warm your soul and give you strength to walk your talk!

Annie & Rod Capps...'Folk Therapy" is the byline this amazing duo claims, which is exactly what we receive when they play. We are very excited to welcome to them to the Farmfest stage this year! Ya Hoo

Jake Allen...Jake comes to us from Grayling. This young talented young man and friends will blow you away. He has been traveling this year learning...growing...expanding...we can't wait to see how he transforms that into his amazing song writing and unique sound.

The Alconites - Raspy drivin guitar slingin deep thinkin. The Alconites rock.

Mike Freer - From the Board room to the Green room, Mike Freer brings us acoustic blues. Here's a man walking his talk and living his dream.

Root Stand - High energy funky bluegrass rappy groove like stuff. You'll love them! We are SO happy to have them back.

Brant Leonard - We usually see Brant hauling pianos from venue to venu. In his delivery truck we will always find his trusty guitar and Brant with a big smile and eagerness to entertain. He's been a Fun Farmfester for long while.

HotRodAlward & Friends. - Check em out! This lively folk group will make sure you leave with a smile and warm and fuzzy glow. They bring big hearts that match their big sound.

Jo Serrapere & the Willie Dunns - Jo and John have been with us before and we are very happy to have them back. Jo's talent is singing and song writing combined with the amazing Willie Dunns...don't miss this set.

Jen Sygit - Here's a talented gal! Jen has a big sound with amazing energy. We have had her on our list for many years and we are thrilled that we finally connected.

Cairn to Cairn - featuring the brilliant forces of poet/guitarist Terry Farmer and vocalist/flute virtuoso Kelly McDermott. They are joined by bassist/percussionist Rob Crozier to create an eclectic blend of celtic, folk and world music.

Conga Se Menne - CONGA MUSIC FOLKS! How cool is that?! Farmfest welcomes Conga Se Menna who brings us a sound we have not had in the past. Join them for a Conga dance Friday night at the Dance Pavilion..too much fun!

Madcat & Kane Trio - Yes YES, Madcat and Kane are back but this time with famous bass player Mark Schrock from Jive at Five. Three world class musicians coming together on the Farmfest stage. They will knock our socks off and make Saturday night a killer evening for fabulous music. They host the Saturday night magic closing set.

Steve Diebel - Steve has been to Farmfest since it's inception. We have seen him volunteering in our saftey team, reading his poetry between acts, holding down the main gate duties, celebrating his son's birthday with his wife and children and gracing 2nd stage. This year check him out on our main stage singing and playing his guitar. Enjoy yet another side of Steve Diebel. Talk about a guy with multi talents!

Anna Ash- AHHHHHH - Please PLEASE don't miss Anna. Her music comes right from the sister's soul!

Full Cord - A hot Michigan Bluegrass band, Full Cord hits the main stage on Sunday night AND the Dance Pavilion on Saturday evening. Ye Ha!

Soul Patch - stay tuned

Just added - Special Guest Stars - the following bands:

Mike Vial - This guy is like Neal Young in Elvis land. Fun and full of spunk!

Hawks & Owls - Sponsored by: Mama Luna Arts

Also stay tuned for all the links. This web stuff take a ton of time. Geeech!

About Us

Farmfest was born in 1998. 2009 will be our 12th Festival. It is hosted by Stacy Jo who owns the farm. The mission of Farmfest is to support the performing arts while blending nature and music. Net proceeds are shared with the artists.

About Farmfest

Starting Thursday, and ending Sunday, Farmfest is a four day family focused folk and traditional world music festival.

Volunteers are welcome to set up camp on Wednesday. In fact we encourage all volunteers to come in on Wednesday if you can. Get the best camp sites and check in with your coordinator. Bring a dish to pass for the evening meal.

Thursday's events are free. This is a great day to get your camp site and settle in. Fire circle jam sessions, campground pickin parities and drumming at the kiva are popular activities on Thursday night. There will be a polka party at the dance pavilion on Thursday night....and the fun begins.

Farmfest in known for it's support of Michigan artists. Occasionally we book a specialty from out of state or from abroad, but mostly we concentrate on the amazing Michigan talent bank. It must be those long winters that lend to the great numbers of super artists home grown right here in Michigan!

Venue

The Farmfest venue is an old 40 acre homestead farm that has been transformed into a beautiful northern Michigan festival site located just outside the small rural town of Johannesburg. It literally sits on the 45th parallel and the merridian of the earth.

The land is mostly wooded with beautiful walking trails that wind through rolling terrain some cleared and some old growth hardwood.

A Google satellite map provides an overview of the venue and allows you to scale the map and get directions to Farmfest.

A natural amphitheater serves the main stage and has the best sound on the planet! Walk the labyrinth, set up your chairs and blankets or hang a hammock from the trees. What ever you choose, get ready for some down home talented artists. The main stage music starts on Friday evening at 5:00 pm and ends on Sunday night at 11:00 pm.

Arts and crafts vendors border the amphitheater and are peppered throughout a grove of blue spruce pines. You'll find quilts and jewelery, drums and soap, leather and tie dye clothing, paintings and pottery and lots more goodies you will want to take home with you. You will also find some happy friendly folks...our vendors are pretty special.

The kids area is a hot spot these days. Lots of activities and fun is has by all at the kids area. Sand castles and playground equipment and face painting and crafts and open mic less and instrument making and big hay bail climbing and much much more. If you are a kid...you won't be bored and you won't have any TV or video games either.

In the woods you will find 2nd stage. This is an open stage. Just sign up and play. Better get there early because the sign up situation is a first come thing. Some of the best music has been born on this stage over the years. It's a magical place. You'll also find the fire circle where jam sessions, workshops and story telling abound. Deeper into the woods is the drum kiva. The kiva is a popular place for the wild and earthy ones with drums. If you don't have a drum, you will want to go and experience the sound. It is mesmerizing.

Most festival attendees spend the entire weekend at the farm. RVs and tents fill the large meadow and many camp in the woods south of the meadow. There are many who simply come for one day or commute from local hotels or cabins. It's up to you. Anyway you choose you will have a great time.

Many performing groups also camp the entire weekend and love to jam. Impromptu bands form and re-form throughout the weekend. Musical magic happens at Campground pickin parties. Just walk right up and sit right down. All campground jam sessions are open for all to enjoy.

Farmfest limits the number of attendees to 2000. Because of it's small size this festival is safe for the youngsters and user friendly for the elderly while maintaining that old style feeling of festivals of the past. Handicap camping is available with golf cart courtesy folks at your service.