Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Described as ‘a field party with great music and craft beer’, MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company’s seventh annual Back to the Farm music festival in Bath projects to be its biggest yet.
Headlining the Aug. 21 show is Juno award winning alternative country/indie rock group The Strumbellas with Born Ruffians. Also playing the 12-hour festival will be local acts Miss Emily, Rocket Surgery, The Gertrudes, Kakaow, The Apricots, Julia Finnegan, Tiny Horse and The Reds.
“We like to keep it pretty local except for headliner and co-headliner,” said Natasha DaSilva, event organizer with MacKinnon Brothers. “Even Miss Emily, she’s nominated for a Juno this year and she is local, which is amazing, but she’s also well known all across Ontario. The Born Ruffians they will be great and the Strumbellas, obviously they’re super well known.”
The event gets underway at the brewery at 1915 County Rd. 22 starting at 10:30 a.m. and runs until 10:30 p.m.
Tickets are $45 and include a re-usable stainless steel mug.
“MacKinnon is very environmentally conscious,” said DaSilva. “Everything is compostable, we try to use reusable cups. All of our vendors have to use all compostable items. We’re bringing our stainless cups back this year, which is great.”
Those who bring their cup from a previous year will receive a free drink token. Over 20 food vendors will be on site along with over 25 breweries and liquor vendors.
Though it is a licensed event, all ages are welcome. Kids under 12 are free and can enjoy a bounce castle and games.
“The initiative of the festival is to give back,” said DaSilva. “We keep the ticket prices low, we keep the beer prices low as a thank you to the community for their support and a thank you to the restaurant industry for their support throughout the year because we couldn’t do it without them.”
About 4,000 tickets are made available to the public for the event and it has sold out in previous years. Tickets are available at www.Back2theFarm.ca or at the brewery.