FARMFEST 2010 AUGUST 12-15

It's time to volunteer! Volunteers get in for free. Contact Linda Houle at www.bousada@charter.net

It's also time to check out the line up. WHEW! What a line up we have this year.

There are still many bands without sponsors. Please help us support these great Michigan artists! YOU (yes YOU) might consider becoming a sponsor. Without our sponsors and our volunteers Farmfest would be a memory. There are many bands without sponsors and we would love to help them keep the music alive. They can't do that if they don't get paid folks. We need you...we need each other. Please call 989-6196-3333. Sponsors receive weekend passes, an ad in the program, listings on this website, back stage access before and after your band's performance AND authority to announce your band prior to playing. It's a sweet gig....consider it.

DIRECTIONS TO THE FARM

WARNING - Do not use a GPS system. It will take you over the rivers and through two tracks. Trust us.

From the West - Take all roads to Gaylord Michigan. Go East on M-32 about 15 miles to Johannesburg....keep going another few miles to Vienna. Turn left (North) onto Meridian Line Road. Travel about four miles to the third road on the right...Roby Road. Turn right (East). The farm is about 1/4 mile down the road.

From the East - Take M-32 to Vienna (about 12 miles beyond Atlanta). Turn right onto Meridian Line Rd. Roby road is the third road on the right about 4 miles. Turn right (East). The farm is down the road a piece. Can't miss it.

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 - $55 suggested by not required. This is the best deal for Michigan Festivals 10 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. Food vendors...only six spaces available and are filled on a first come basis.

Sponsor a Porta Potty. This was a fun addition to the festival. For a mere $75 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 2010 - Utterly Mooagical.

Come Early - Stay Late - Bring friends.

Hugs to all

Stacy Jo

THE LINE UP

Music here - Music there - Music EVERYWHERE

Main Stage - Dance Pavilion - Feed Bag Cafe - 2nd Stage - Labyrinth - Drum Kiva - Fire Circle in the woods - Silo fire circle - Workshops - Kids Area and Main Gate

Check out the program when you arrive to see who is where when. There is just too many detail and not enough time to put up the schedule of event.

NEW - John D. Lamb will be hosting "Tweeners" at the Feedbag Cafe` under the tent Saturday and Sunday. Tweeners are 20 minute sets in between each main stage act. We are thrilled to welcome John D. Lamb to Farmfest! Some artists featured will be Mike Freer, Robin Lee Berry, Drew Nelson, Mike Boucher, Michael Beauchamp, Michael Seiler, Jason Dennie, Lake Folk, Dave Boutette and more.

2010 Performers ~

Seth and May Lake City - 8:40 PM Sunday Night Main Stage - Sponsored by our long time buddy Joe MacNeil. Seth and May are farmfest family as we are a part of their beautiful Harvest Fest in the Fall. They close the show on Sunday night each year making our departure a bitter sweet loving ending to a fantastic weekend filled with music and laughter. We have seen both these fine Michigan artists grow up and blossom into the force for good through music known throughout the land. Don't leave Farmfest without this set.

The Tree of Life Drum and Dance Studio - Chelsea - See them at the Drum Kiva throughout the weekend

Dave Boutette ...Ann Arbor, Main Stage Sat. 11:20 AM, and Tweeners at the Feed bag Cafe`, Sponsored by Springfed Arts (Lambs Retreat)

Kirby...From Harbor Springs - Main Stage 10:00 AM Saturday, Hosting open Mic - Sponsored by Home Comfort Farms LLC

Ron Fowler...Petoskey - Fire Circle Ghost Stories at 9:00 PM Saturday night and Host of The Parkin Lot Pickers, Main Stage 11:20 AM Sunday, Sponsored by Home Comfort Farms LLC

Orpheum Bell...From Lansing - Main Stage, 10:20 PM Friday, Sponsored by Sanjay R. Singhal

Loose Strings...Gaylord - Dance Pavilion 2:00 PM Saturday, Local home spun good ole boys from Gaylord

Sieze the Carp...Boyne City - Main Stage 6:20 Friday and Dance Pavilion 4:20 Saturday

Medicine Crow .. Easton Rapids - Main Stage 12:40 Sunday and probably lots of other places I would say. Sponsored by Illegible Records

Robin Lee Berry...Boyne City - Main Stage 4:40 Saturday, and Tweeners Time at the Feedbag Cafe`, Sponsored by Blissfest

Mike Freer - Roscommon, Tweeners and Main Gate throughout the weekend. Assists 2nd stage Ed too! What a guy!

Cairn to Cairn...Ann Arbor - Main Stage, Saturday, 6:00

Madcat & Kane Trio...with Mark Schrock! Ann Arbor - Main Stage Saturday 10:00 PM, Sponsored by Skeeter It's Madcat magic during Farmfest we never know when he'll pop into sets with others. It's always amazing!

Soul Patch Main Stage, 4:40 Sunday and Dance Pavilion 8:40 Saturday ...Traverse City

Hawks & Owls ...Grand Rapids - Sponsored by: Luna Arts

Sherri Kane and Dave Steele...Ann Arbor

The Grass Kickers ...Detroit - Sponsored by The Detroit Receiving Hospital a proud member of The Detroit Medical Center

Rootstand ...currently Traverse City

Blue Dirt ...Traverse City

The Motor City Sidestrokers ...Royal Oak

Drew Nelson ...Grand Rapids - Home Comfort Farms, LLC

Nicholas James Thomasma ...Wyoming MI

Nervous but Excited ...Ann Arbor - Sponsored by Fox on a Hill Productions

The FunDubMentals ...Traverse City

Benny Bell ...Grand Rapids

Wayward Roots ...Ann Arbor - Sponsored by Tree Fort Bikes & Autism Intervention Group

Mark Boucher ...Orion MI

Sun Shadows Indigenous Flute Ensemble ...members from Detroit, Cleveland, Portland and Kenosha - Self Sponsored

Galactic Sherpas ...Boyne City

The Wild Uke String Band ...Lansing

Michael Beauchamp ...Kalamazoo

My Friends -

The Traveling Horse Club ...Traverse City

Glean Infusion ...Grand Rapids - Sponsored by The Wheeler Family Foundation

Full Cord ...Allendale MI

Jason Dennie... - Sponsored by Mary Pogge, Mike and Becky Johns

Lake Folk Band...Ann Arbor - Sponsored by Wilcox Steel

TWISTER JOE ...Gaylord- Balloon man guru

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

About Us

Farmfest was born in 1998. 2010 is our 13th Festival. It is hosted by Stacy Jo Schiller who owns the farm and her partner Barton Briley. 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. Plan on providing your own meals OR 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. Help fine tune the place if you would like to lend a hand.

Friday - Sunday....Farmfest Magic!

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 located on a 109 yr old 40 acre homestead farm that has been transformed into a beautiful northern Michigan festival sited a short distance east of 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.