Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young ? the three founders of Farm Aid ? will play at the annual festival this year, along with Dave Matthews.

In this its 20th anniversary of the concert festival, the show will return to Illinois, home of the first Farm Aid concert.

More artists will be announced in the coming weeks. The concert will be held September 18 at the Tweeter Center.

Nelson started the concert shortly after Live Aid was held. Farm Aid helps strengthen the family farm system and has raised $27 million.

This year’s concert will encourage people to purchase food from family farms. And the show is just the end of a week of festivities, which will also include a county fair, a film festival, educational events, and a book release.

“From small towns to folks in the city, everybody knows family farm food is the best,” said Nelson. “It’s good to be back in Illinois where it all started. This state is showing how good food can connect places like Champaign and Chicago. It inspires us to think about family farmers every day. I’m looking forward to playing on the Farm Aid stage, playing music with my friends.”

Since its first concert in 1985, Farm Aid has traveled around the U.S., playing in different cities.






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