Local Spins previews what has become one of the Michigan music scene’s favorite late-season festivals. Get details, daily schedules, a playlist and more for this mid-September celebration.
Earthwork Farm Magic: Harvest Gathering rolls out as a ‘family reunion.’ (Photo/Anna Sink)
SCROLL DOWN FOR SCHEDULE, PLAYLIST AND MORE
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
Light seeps through the wooden slats of a weathered barn. Inside, a cozy audience nestles around an illuminated stage, soaking in the mid-evening sounds of a live band.
It’s a familiar scene for those who’ve attended Earthwork Harvest Gathering outside Lake City.
With a taste of autumn on the tongue and music in the air, one of Michigan’s final music festivals of the season has become a tradition for many — although it also attracts new faces every year.
Barn Milieu: Kate Pillsbury will once again perform solo and with The Crane Wives. (Photo/Anna Sink)
“I’m looking forward to sharing it with my mom, who’s coming from Portland, Ore., to attend for the first time. Harvest Gathering would not exist without her example,” says Seth Bernard, the much-admired musician, Earthwork Music collective founder and activist who curates the festival.
“She is a musician and gardener and community organizer and a rebel spirit who loves relentlessly. She was the center of gravity for the intentional community that grew on Earthwork Farm when I was a child. It’s really special for me to be able to show her how the earth work has continued and grown.”
Taking place Friday-Sunday (Sept. 15-17) at Earthwork Farm in Lake City, Harvest Gathering is a three-day celebration of live music, food and community. This year’s performers include The Crane Wives, Elisabeth Pixley-Fink, Grace Theisen, G’itis Baggs, Sarena Rae, Jordan Hamilton and dozens more who view the weekend as an uplifting reunion.
Weekend tickets are available for $180 and include tent camping, while day passes can be purchased for $75. Get tickets and details online here. Gates open at 8 a.m. Friday.
“I think it’s really unique to have excellent music across so many styles at an event that also has elements of both an educational conference and a healing retreat, with offerings for young people as well,” says Bernard, who recently released a new studio album but has been battling Lyme disease and back issues that have kept him from performing.
“The diversity of the programming, the inclusivity of the culture, and the setting on a working family farm combine to make Harvest Gathering singular and special in its own way.”
In addition to a diverse roster of regional acts, the festival offers a staggering number of educational workshops which include “Guided Meditation,” “Edible & Medicinal Herb Walk,” “Learn to Waltz” and “Macrame Basics.”
Hannah Laine (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
Other activities are plentiful and feature a basketball tournament, a structured drum circle and morning yoga. This year’s sponsors include Title Track, Kalamazoo State Theatre, Higher Ground Coffee and Brownlee Press, among many others.
Food also is a highlight, with weekend offerings of both rustic, farm-grown fare and local food vendors.
“I’m looking forward to collaborating with the Great Lakes Brass Band for their Marvin Gaye tribute, supporting Eric O’Daly and Loren Johnson in their bands and returning with Earth Radio,” says Grand Rapids singer and musician Hannah Laine.
“Harvest feels like a music family reunion to me, so I’m excited to catch up with friends and soak in the good vibes.”
EARTHWORK HARVEST GATHERING 2023
Seth Bernard (Photo/Anna Sink)
WHERE: Earthwork Farm, 999-1 E. Cutcheon Rd., Lake City, Mich., 49651
WEBSITE: https://earthworkharvestgathering.com/
LINEUP: Airborne or Aquatic?, Ben Traverse, Charlie Millard Band, Daniel Kahn, Earth Radio, Elisabeth Pixley-Fink, Eliza Thorp, Eric O’Daly, Fake Baseball, Frank Youngman All-Stars, Funktion, G’itis Baggs, Grace Theisen, Great Lakes Brass, Gregory Stovetop, Heavy Color, Jordan Hamilton, Joshua Davis, Kait Rose & The Thorns, Loren Johnson, Mark Lavengood Band, Moss Manor, Nathan Walton & The Remedy, Nicholas James & The Bandwagon, Normal Mode, Peter Madcat Ruth’s C.A.R.Ma. Quartet, Phabies, Rachael Davis, Sarena Rae, Sari Brown, Scott Pellegrom Trio, Seth Bernard, Silver Creek Revival, The Accidentals, The AntiVillains, The Crane Wives, The Go Rounds, The Schrock Bros, Van Lente, Whorled and many more.
WEATHER FORECAST (as of Sept. 9):
Friday – High of 69 degrees, cloudy with a chance of rain
Saturday – High of 70 degrees, partly sunny
Sunday – High of 70 degrees, mostly sunny
THE SCHEDULE
EARTHWORK HARVEST GATHERING 2023: The Local Spins Top 10 Playlist
Copyright 2023, Spins on Music LLC
