Get your groove on down on the farm

By Amber Smith

Contrary to popular belief, Tallahassee’s cultural scene includes more than just the Tennessee Street Strip and Doak Campbell Stadium. The Big Bend also boasts a rich array of bands, artists, and designers all eagerly awaiting your detection.

For the culturally inquisitive, a quick trip to Quincy will provide an excellent showcase of all that the rocking South has to offer in the third annual Down on the Farm music and art festival, coming Nov. 10-12. With more regionally recognized artists than ever, organizers think this year is sure to be the best yet.

“I’ve been to Magnolia Fest and Spring Fest, both of which feature a lot of the same bands as Down on the Farm,” said Stephanie Zack, a student at Florida State who has attended every DOTF, “but [DOTF] is just one of those festivals that hasn’t gotten so big that it limits the liberties of its crowd. And it feels like every time you turn around you run into someone you know.”

Down on the Farm is a self-proclaimed celebration of music, art, and philanthropy put on by Spanish Moss Productions and the Spanish Moss Foundation. Located on the lush 450-acre Spanish Moss Farm in Quincy, known to locals as the Old Ball Farm, travelers from all over the South come to enjoy great food, music, and camping under the stars. For all of those who live within Tallahassee city limits, the grounds are a mere 20 minutes outside of town.

Attendees can expect an eclectic line-up of over 50 bands playing on three stages from as early as 11 a.m. into the late night. Nationally touring bands such as MOFRO, Drive-By Truckers, and Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit (featuring famed guitarist Jimmy Herring of the Dead, the Allman Brothers, and most recently, Widespread Panic) will be playing right alongside local bands like Polyester Pimpstrap, Stillwood, and Full Blackout.

“Down on the Farm is unique in its ability to schedule local bands among and between larger headlining acts,” said Whitford Remer, student liaison of Spanish Moss Productions. “Our grassroots relationships with local bands and well developed reputation with larger touring bands allows us to stick up-and-coming acts right in the mix of everything during the heat of the night.”

And the other 40-plus bands? They are primarily southern rock, funk, reggae, blues, jazz, and just good old fashioned jam bands.
The cost of each ticket is $90, which includes three days of field or primitive camping (walking your gear into the surrounding woods) and admission to all shows.

Aside from the camping and music, there will be several unique vendors ranging from Fair Trade Indonesian clothing to Tallahassee’s own oxygen bar.

This is an event for all ages and kids under 10 get in free. There will be a kid’s tent full of activities for children, including face painting run by FSU student artists. For the adults, regional brewery (and large sponsor of the festival) Sweetwater, will be selling beer on the grounds during the shows.

All of the proceeds from the festival go straight to the non-profit Spanish Moss Foundation. This year’s beneficiaries are the Gadsden County High School Music Education program and the Second Harvest of Big Bend. Tickets can be purchased at www.downonthefarmfestival.com.