The city of Duluth and the surrounding Twin Ports will host the Homegrown Music Festival for the seventeenth straight year beginning on Sunday, April 26. The festival showcases over 200 local musical groups, along with local artists and filmmakers.
For eight days, from April 26 to May 3, festival-goers will be able to enjoy local music acts such as Paper Parlor, Bratwurst, and many others.
Concerts will take place at various participating venues all around Duluth and Superior, with many of the weekend concerts taking place at venues along Duluth’s Superior Street.
Some of the new venues involved this year include the Tower Avenue Tavern, Red Herring Lounge and Bent Paddle Brewery. Also new this year is live music on the DTA trolley, which provides transportation to festival-goers from venue to venue all throughout Homegrown.
Lake Voice's multimedia producer, Ben Hallamek, created a map highlighting all of the venues participating in this year's Homegrown festival, as well as the route the free DTA trolley will follow throughout the festival. The trolley starts at 7 p.m. at Fitgers and runs every 20 minutes until 1 a.m.
Both 21+ and all ages shows are included throughout the festival.
Various ticket packages are available to festival-goers, including a full week pass, a weekend pass, and a single-day pass. Tickets may be purchased at the Electric Fetus, located at 12 E. Superior St. in Duluth, or at the door of the venue the night of the show.
Homegrown Music Festival prides itself on presenting a wide range of music styles to a diverse group of music lovers.
Wilson Johnson, the bass player for participating band Paper Parlor, stated, “It’s really a great thing that people with such diverse tastes in music can come together, celebrate a love a music with each other, and just have a good time.”
Paper Parlor, is scheduled to play at Amazing Grace Cafe on May 1, at 6:15 p.m.
A big highlight happening at this year’s Homegrown will take place at Clyde Iron Works on Wednesday, April 29, where Duluth’s well known folk band, Trampled by Turtles will take the stage at 9:30 p.m.
Those hoping to see the Trampled by Turtles performance are required to have a week-long wristband and are advised to arrive at Clyde Iron Works early, as admission is on a first come, first serve basis.
Though labeled as a music festival, Homegrown is a celebration of many arts. The festival includes events such as a photo show, the Homegrown music video festival, a poetry showcase and much more.
Festival director, Walter Raschick, said, “The vast variety of talent on display from poetry, photography, and video showcases to music and dance. I'm overwhelmed at just how much creativity can be found in a community this size.”
Raschick also expressed his gratitude for the cooperation between all of the performers, venues, sponsors and fans, that make this festival such a successful thing for the community.
“There's no way this event could happen without the cooperative engagement between the performers, volunteers, venues, sponsors and, of course, the fans. Everyone plays a vital role in making this festival, and our community, a success,” said Raschick.
Additional information, as well as a full festival schedule can be found on www.duluthhomegrown.org or in the Homegrown Field Guide, which can be found at various locations around the Twin Ports.
Originally written for the UMD Statesman