Category: 2021

Left of Skeptic

Left of Skeptic wants your story!

By The Chicken
Left of Skeptic
Do you participate in the Duluth Homegrown Music Festival?
Do you have a paranormal experience to share?
Saw a ghost?
Creeped out by a cryptid?
Ran away from a UFO?
Does your band have an album coming out?
Do you have an art show coming up? Etc etc etc… you get what I’m saying.
Left of Skeptic wants your story for our Unofficial Homegrown Listener Episode!
Left of Skeptic is a paranormal podcast hosted by Brittany Lind and Kala Moria. Every Wednesday we bring you stories on haunted places, mysterious occurrences, cryptids, and we end each episode with listener stories. On the Wednesday of Homegrown week, we’d love to premiere our first ALL LISTENER STORY EPISODE!
Submit your story to leftofskeptic@gmail.com or visit www.leftofskeptic.com and click on the listener stories link!
Include:
-Your name and pronouns
-What project you belong to
-Your story
-Any exciting news for your project you’d like to promote after Homegrown!

They are accepting story submissions now, but if you’re also willing to do a virtual interview, please reach out!

Left of Skeptic’s Facebook page can be found HERE

2021 Volunteer Spotlight – Theresa Ekblad 

By The Chicken

HOMEGROWN MUSIC FESTIVAL VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Full Name
Theresa Ekblad

How long have you volunteered for Homegrown?
Last year would have been my third year.

What is your favorite Homegrown memory?
There are so many, I’m freezing up when I try to choose – so instead of a memory, I’ll just share the feeling I get when it’s Homegrown time.  It truly is like a holiday for me – I do my best to take time off from work so I can celebrate and contribute as much as possible.  There are many people that I don’t get the opportunity to see outside of the Homegrown week when so many of us are out and about, exploring the great music that happens in our region.  I love the feeling of knowing that I’ll see friends and happy faces, listen and dance to fantastic music, and wish passersby “Happy Homegrown”.

How has music helped you through the pandemic thus far?
I have missed live music so much this year.  A few weeks into the pandemic, you could tell that musicians truly missed that connection too.  It was wonderful to see artists and bands get creative and find ways to share their music and connect with their fans.

Do you have any advice for future Homegrown Volunteers?
Every little bit helps!  It’s such a great opportunity to contribute to the local music community and help however you can.  Sign up with a friend and choose what shifts you want to work together!  Being a part of the magic makes me appreciate and enjoy the whole festival just a little bit more.

Thank you to all of our volunteers! We would not be able to have the festival without your help. 
Sign up for your HGMF volunteer shifts today: https://duluthhomegrown.org/volunteer/
Liz Minette photo

2021 Volunteer Spotlight – Liz Minette

By The Chicken

HOMEGROWN MUSIC FESTIVAL VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Liz Minette photo

1. Full Name: Liz Minette

2. How long have you volunteered for Homegrown? I’ve been a volunteer for Homegrown since 2012.

3. What is your favorite Homegrown memory? Hmmmm… Poetry Showcases, especially the ones at Sacred Heart, NorShor and Duluth Folk School (all sweet spaces); working the shows at Clyde Iron, especially when Trampled by Turtles was playing; seeing TbT at Pizza Luce the time before the last time (when they tweeted their surprise show at Luce : ); all the shows at Cedar Lounge, especially when Venus de Mars played her acoustic set and we all were pretty much in tears it was so beautiful; Mary Bue, Retribution Gospel Choir & Wolf Blood at Luce; working the door at Quinlan’s; the sweet shows at Blush; creating music videos for Homegrown & all the Homegrown Music Video screenings

4. How has music helped you through the pandemic thus far? Music has helped very much through the pandemic; whether listening to tunes while taking walks, but more importantly, my Mom and I can watch concerts of local artists from home – we’ve watched Charlie Parr’s concerts at Sacred Heart via YouTube cast to our tv as well as Al Sparhawk & Friends at First Ave.

5. Do you have any advice for future Homegrown Volunteers? Show up for the shift you signed up for; have a great time hanging out with your crew; have fun; respect the Chicken : )

Thank you to all of our volunteers! We would not be able to have the festival without your help. 

Sign up for your HGMF volunteer shifts today: https://duluthhomegrown.org/volunteer/

2021 Festival Update

By The Chicken

In response to the Center for Disease Control COVID-19 mitigation recommendations to limit large gatherings, and in the interest of public health and safety, Homegrown Music Festival has made the decision that any Festival programming will be virtual for the 2021 year, including our upcoming Winter Fiasco on January 22nd. Visit www.duluthhomegrown.org for all programming details.

Homegrown will continue to be a presence in the Twin Ports community and will live up to its mission of supporting the local music and arts scene while navigating through the ongoing pandemic.

The Festival staff is grateful for our fans and our community, and we consider the health and safety of everyone to be our top priority. Thank you for supporting the Homegrown Music Festival as we enter our 23rd year.

Thank you,
Melissa La Tour
Executive Director
Homegrown Music Festival
melissa@duluthhomegrown.org