Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats at Farm Aid 2023. Photo © Brian Bruner / Bruner Photo
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats at Farm Aid 2023. Photo © Brian Bruner / Bruner Photo

Blog | November 13, 2023

Farm Aid 2023 By The Numbers

by Jessica Kurn

We’re still reminiscing and thinking about all the different aspects of Farm Aid 2023 from the pre-events to the festival day and beyond. It was amazing to see farmers, artists and music fans all coming together to celebrate family farmer agriculture and to raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities farmers face.

Thank you for celebrating family farmers with us this year. Make sure to show them you support their work year-round by wearing Farm Aid 2023 merch. And, relive the music on our YouTube channel and in our photo and video gallery.

Below are some of the numbers that show why Farm Aid 2023 was so unique!


Photo: Brian Bruner

16

Incredible performances on the lineup.

Photo: Joeff Davis

2

Surprise performances, including Sturgill Simpson (joining Margo Price) and Bob Dylan (backed by 3/5ths of The Heartbreakers along with members of The Dirty Knobs).

Photo: Sharon Carone

18

Songs in Willie’s Nelson’s epic set to end a beautiful day at Ruoff Music Center.

Photo: Cathy Tingle

6

Demonstrations in the HOMEGROWN Skills Tent; plus an all-day seed swap and mini farm with grazing sheep!

Photo: Cathy Tingle

35

HOMEGROWN Village exhibits including: The Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar by National Farmers Union; Farms Reflect our Farmers: Underheard Voices and Imagining the Future of Farming in Indiana by Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition; Connecting the Drops: The Ripple Effects of Water Grabs on our Food System by National Family Farm Coalition; and many more!

Photo: Scott Streble

18 

Young people from three different local organizations (Future Farmers of America, the Grange, and Human Agriculture Cooperative) staffed HOMEGROWN Youthmarkets at two farm fresh stands.

Photo: Kathryn Dale

1,000 

Podcast buttons were distributed at the festival and many backstage interviews! Listen to our first episode now.

Photo: Scott Streble

454 

Volunteers made the day run smoothly, setting up, breaking down, chopping vegetables, helping festivalgoers make compost, and generally putting smiles on everyone’s faces!

Photo: Laurie Bonneau

51

Menu items in HOMEGROWN Concessions® served at two farm fresh stands. The ingredients for everything served at Farm Aid 2023 were grown with sustainable practices, on family farms, and with a fair price paid to the farmers.

Photo: Scott Streble

23

Farm Aid 2023 festival merch items are in our online store, including tees, hats, sweatshirts and denim jackets, all made with materials that protect our water and soil and that support farmer livelihoods.

5

Videos shared at our press event that kicked off Farm Aid 2023, with 7 farmers joining Willie, John, Neil, and Dave on stage to talk about agriculture, climate, soil and water and corporate power.

Photo: Scott Streble

22,209

Tickets sold for Farm Aid 2023. Thank you for supporting family farmers by participating in Farm Aid 2023!

Photo: Scott Streble

275 

Farmers, advocates and representatives from organizations that support farmers who attended our Friday Farmer Forum, which featured our first ever Farm Aid People’s Hearing on the Farm Bill.

Photo: Lori Mercer

60 

People who attended Indiana farm tours featuring 4 farms and 7 farmers who shared their stories of farming in the Midwest.

Photo: Michael Stewart Foley

560,000 

People passed by our Farm Aid 2023 exhibit at the Indianapolis International Airport!

Photo: Scott Streble

1,000+

Media stories featuring Farm Aid, including 748 print and online stories and 364 TV and radio broadcasts.

Photo: Scott Streble

60

Cubic yards of materials were composted over the course of our festival, which equals approximately 2.9 tons of compost!

Photo: Laurie Bonneau

14,798

Pounds of food were donated to Second Helpings, an organization that rescues good food to prepare nutritious meals for hungry children and adults in Greater Indianapolis.

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