Farm Aid 2026 Heads to Virginia Beach With Nelson, Young, Mellencamp and More

The annual benefit concert makes its Virginia Beach debut on September 26 at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater.

Farm Aid will make its first-ever appearance in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on September 26, 2026, at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater. Board artists Willie Nelson, Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff headline the event, joined by a deep supporting lineup that spans Americana, country and roots rock.

Farm Aid Makes Its Virginia Beach Debut

The 2026 edition of Farm Aid marks the festival's first stop in Virginia Beach, with organizers inviting fans to ‘soak up the ocean air, enjoy incredible music and celebrate the farmers growing our food.' The show takes place September 26 at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, one of the East Coast's premier outdoor sheds.

Willie Nelson, who co-founded Farm Aid alongside Neil Young and John Mellencamp in 1985, addressed the choice of location directly. In a statement, Nelson said, ‘We're bringing Farm Aid to Virginia to stand with the farmers and fishers who feed Hampton Roads and beyond, and to grow a food system that works for everyone.' He also noted that the organization has fewer family farmers on the land today than when Farm Aid began, calling the threats they face a risk to all communities.

Full Lineup for Farm Aid 2026

Beyond the board-member headliners, the bill is stacked with some of the most compelling names in contemporary Americana and roots music.

• Willie Nelson
• Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts
• John Mellencamp
• Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
• Margo Price
• Nathaniel Rateliff
• The Turnpike Troubadours
• Lukas Nelson
• Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
• Jesse Welles
• Sierra Ferrell
• Mon Rovîa
• I'm With Her
• Amythyst Kiah
• Lily Meola
• Chris Pierce

Beyond the Music: FarmYard Stage and HOMEGROWN Experiences

Farm Aid has always been as much a civic event as a concert, and the Virginia Beach edition continues that tradition. The FarmYard Stage will give attendees the opportunity to hear directly from farmers and artists about pressing agricultural issues. A HOMEGROWN Skills tent will feature demonstrations of agrarian skills and celebrate the culture of farming, while HOMEGROWN Concessions will offer family farm-identified, local and organic foods throughout the grounds.

Since its founding, Farm Aid has raised more than $90 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. Nelson's statement underscored the ongoing urgency: ‘Family farmers grow our food and strengthen our communities. And when farmers struggle like they are now, communities feel it too.'

Tickets and On-Sale Information

A limited number of pre-sale tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. ET on June 10. The general public on-sale begins Friday, June 12 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets are available at FarmAid.org/tickets.

What we know

• Farm Aid 2026 is scheduled for September 26 at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach.
• Board artists on the bill include Willie Nelson, Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff.
• Additional performers include The Turnpike Troubadours, Lukas Nelson, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Jesse Welles, Sierra Ferrell, Mon Rovîa, I'm With Her, Amythyst Kiah, Lily Meola and Chris Pierce.
• Farm Aid was first organized in 1985 by Nelson, Young and Mellencamp to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on the land.
• Farm Aid has raised more than $90 million since its founding to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.
• Pre-sale tickets became available at 10 a.m. ET on June 10, with the public on-sale beginning June 12 at 10 a.m. ET.

The take

Farm Aid has been one of rock's most durable benefit concerts, outlasting virtually every other charity event born from the mid-1980s wave of cause-driven shows that included Live Aid and Hands Across America. What keeps it relevant is the combination of its founding artists, all of whom remain active, and its willingness to refresh the supporting lineup with artists who genuinely belong to the tradition rather than celebrity guests drafted for marquee value. This year's undercard reflects that philosophy well. The Turnpike Troubadours are one of the most beloved live acts in Americana; Mike Campbell's Dirty Knobs have become a serious road band in their own right; and Sierra Ferrell represents the next generation of roots music with real credibility. Bringing the festival to Virginia Beach is a smart geographic move. The Hampton Roads region has a significant agricultural and fishing economy that gives the event's mission local resonance beyond the usual festival-circuit stops in the Midwest. Neil Young's continued participation, billed here as Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, is also worth noting; Young has been selective about large public appearances in recent years, making his presence a genuine draw. For fans of classic rock and Americana who have followed Farm Aid since its Champaign, Illinois, debut in 1985, the Virginia Beach edition looks like one of the stronger lineups the event has assembled in some time.

Why it matters

Farm Aid remains one of the few large-scale benefit concerts with a direct, measurable funding mission tied to a specific cause. For classic rock fans, it is also one of the last annual events where Nelson, Young and Mellencamp share a stage, making each edition a genuine occasion. The Virginia Beach location broadens the festival's geographic footprint and connects its agricultural advocacy to a coastal community where farming and fishing are economically intertwined, giving the 2026 show a regional dimension that goes beyond the standard touring circuit.

What's next

The public on-sale for Farm Aid 2026 opens June 12 at 10 a.m. ET at FarmAid.org/tickets. The concert itself takes place September 26 at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach.

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