Borderland Music Festival
2Borderland Music Festival
The Black Crowes to headline 6th annual event at Knox Farm State Park
Photos Courtesy of Borderland Music Festival
Let’s take a trip to Borderland. No, I don’t mean Mexico or Canada. I mean, let’s go watch Borderland. Dang it, I don’t mean the new video game movie either. We’re talking about the 6th Annual Premiere Music Festival at the Knox Farm State Park, located at 437 Buffalo Road in East Aurora, NY. That’s right, September 13th through the 15th is the Borderland Music Festival, back and better than ever. Organizers of Borderland also host the Rail Rider Jamboree, held each March at Holiday Valley. EllicottvilleNOW met up with Borderland’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Zach Keller, who took the time to share all the details of this year’s Borderland festivities with us…
eNOW: Borderland is always an amazing time, what is new for this year's event?
KELLER: We want to keep the experience fresh year-to-year for festival-goers, so we’re always trying to add new experiences. This year, fans can enjoy a new lineup of bands (of course!), a larger Homespun stage showcasing local talent, new VIP perks like food from Britesmith Brewing and Merch Concierge, a tattoo truck, some new curated artisans and food vendors, and even a mobile paintball activation! Returning for the second year is our tent & RV camping option at Kissing Bridge Ski Resort with shuttles running to and from the festival all weekend. All the details are on our website.
eNOW: The music lineup is huge this yea! Can you give us some details on the headliners?
KELLER: Friday kicks off with rock n’ roll legends The Black Crowes! After their canceled show at Keybank Center in February, we’re happy to be able to bring their incredible new show to Buffalo after the band’s hiatus these past few years. Their new album, “Happiness Bastards,” is being played all over the world right now. The rest of the Friday lineup includes big-band extraordinaire Cory Wong, Canada’s darlings The Sheepdogs, and up and coming rocker, Daniel Donato and the Cosmic Country on the main stage.
Saturday features indie-folk rockers Caamp, who have taken the music scene by storm. We’re honored to host them for their only northeast tour date this year! Front man Taylor Meier leads the band as they bring us through the stories and catchy riffs that make their songs so popular. “Peach Fuzz” & “Vagabond” are just two of the hits they’ve created. Plus, Meier’s solo act, Sumbuck, is playing Sunday. Saturday also has the funky grooves from the Dip, female bluegrass guitar player of the year, Sierra Hull, as well as Houndmouth and The Wood Bros.
Soul/Blues rocker Marcus King is back in Buffalo after his band opened for Chris Stapleton at Darien Lake this summer. The guitar phenom has been playing with some of the biggest guitar acts around for years and now has made quite the name for himself. Catch him on the Main Stage Sunday before Dark Star Orchestra. Also on Sunday, fans will see reggae’s most famous backing-band, The Wailers before southern rocker Marcus King.
Over the 3 days also representing Western New York’s local music scene for this year will be Handsome Jack, Annie In The Water, Folkfaces Tribute to “John Prine”, Uncle Ben’s Remedy, Big Martha: An Allman Brothers Experience, Fuzzy & The Rustbelts, Borderland Dead All-Stars, Buffalo Brass Machine, and Buffalo Music Club’s “Borderland Band Camp”.
eNOW: That’s a lot of music for everyone to enjoy! We want to promote that this is a family-friendly event. Can you give us some details on the activities you’ll have set up for the littles?
KELLER: Kidsland is a staple feature at Borderland every year. The late David Nojaim, a dear friend of the Borderland team, curated the Kids Zone for years. Although he's no longer with us, his energy and spirit live on. The Kids Zone provides our youngest fans a fully immersive experience through instruments, animals, face painting, and more.
eNOW: You’ve always got a wide array of vendors. Who’s setting up this year and what will they be offering?
KELLER: Craft vendors are a huge part of Borderland. We have about 40 vendors every year that set up in the historic Knox Farm Stables. You can shop all weekend for things like tie-dyes from Jengle, apparel from Fish U.S., watch live art with Muse Jar or even get a henna tattoo.
eNOW: There is also a variety of food and beverage options. Can you provide us some info on what will be available?
KELLER: Come hungry! The Dopest Dough Grilled Cheese Truck will be back in action along with baked goods from East Aurora’s Blue Eyed Baker, pizza from Al Forno Ferruzza, Craft Popcorn from Uncle Phil’s and tons more options including vegan and vegetarian dishes. You won’t leave hungry, that's for sure!
eNOW: On to the necessary stuff… Dates, times, admission costs, etc.
KELLER: Weekend Passes start at $209 and Single-Days at $109. You can buy tickets at the door, but if you get tickets at borderlandfestival.com before the show, you can save! Weekend VIP passes are moving fast but there are a few that remain at $330. Check out the VIP perks and you’ll see why it's the best way to experience Borderland! And remember… Kids under 10 are free with a paying general admission ticket.
eNOW: Anything else you would like to share with the community?
KELLER: We’re psyched to have a Sober Space again at this year's event. Hosted by The Phoenix, Marcus King’s Curfew Fellowship Fund, and Divided Sky Foundation, it’s a substance-free area that offers a safe and comfortable place for festival-goers to meet, relax, recharge, and enjoy non-alcoholic beverages from the festival’s mocktail truck.
As you can see, Borderland Music Festival is made for everyone to come out and enjoy. So limber up, get your best rockstar apparel ready and head out to Knox Farm State Park for a rockin’ good time! For a full list of bands, vendors, food and more, go to borderlandfestival.com.
