Chicagoans are heading three hours north for a weekend that puts sustainable agriculture front and center alongside indie music. The annual Avrom Farm Party runs Aug. 21-23 in Green Lake, Wisconsin, where local food shares equal billing with a dozen bands from Chicago and beyond.
The three-day festival was founded in 2018 by Chicagoans Hayden Holbert, Spencer Tweedy and chefs Avery Riel and Lily Moore on land that once hosted the studio of artist Lester Schwarz, Holbert's grandfather. "Back in 2018, Hayden had just graduated college in sustainable agriculture, and he was kicking off this pasture-based farm there and thinking of ways to bring people out there to learn about it," Tweedy said. "So he asked me to help book some bands, and we've been doing it ever since."
From Local Roots to National Acts
What started as a gathering of Chicago friends has grown into something bigger. This year's lineup includes Indigo DeSouza, NNAMDI, Frankie Cosmos, Max Subar, The Slaps, Merce Lemon and more, with slacker rock, avant pop, folk and indie rock on the bill. "The bands were mostly people we knew in Chicago, but now we're also bringing nationally known artists," Tweedy said. He's a drummer and the son of Lounge Ax owner Sue Miller-Tweedy and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy.
The weekend includes optional camping on site, farm-fresh meals, karaoke and dancing in the woods. The event is modeled after the Postock Festival in Albany, Wisconsin. Tweedy described the vibe as "warm, welcoming, bucolic" and said, "It's kind of like a camping trip, where people end up eating extremely high-quality food, and seeing bands."
Sustainable Food Takes Center Stage
The food includes lots of local produce, freshly picked corn and a pastured pig smoked for 24 hours on site. "Even though I'm a vegetarian, I've always made an exception for Hayden's meat," Tweedy said, adding, "We have people working shifts overnight, smoking it and cooking it to perfection."
The festival's commitment to pasture-based farming and local sourcing puts sustainable agriculture at the heart of the experience. It's not just about eating well — it's about understanding where food comes from and supporting farming practices that work with the land rather than against it.
Building Community Across Generations
The event has evolved from its early days. "The first four years, my mom would actually come to me and be like, 'Spencer, you guys need more young people here.' But now it's pretty intergenerational," Tweedy said.
Daily tickets and weekend passes range from $75 to $125, with an added meal package for $80. Festgoers can also access discounted lodging at nearby hotels.
Why This Matters:
The Avrom Farm Party represents a growing movement connecting people directly to sustainable food systems and the farmers who maintain them. By centering local agriculture alongside arts and music, the festival offers an alternative to corporate entertainment models that extract value from communities without giving back. The event's intergenerational appeal shows how education about sustainable farming practices can reach beyond typical agricultural circles. At a time when industrial farming dominates and small farmers face mounting economic pressures, festivals like this create vital spaces for learning about and supporting local food systems. They demonstrate that entertainment and education about where our food comes from don't have to be separate experiences.