About the Festival
The HomeGrown Music Festival exclusively features Wisconsin bands, artists and songwriters, hence the name “HomeGrown.” Each year, the festival lineup is carefully curated from upwards of 100 submissions. Past performers include Nickel & Rose, Zach Pietrini, Jay Matthes and I’m Not a Pilot.
In addition to the bands, Homegrown has become known for corn roasts, food carts, and small batch beer from Cedarburg’s Fermentorium Brewery. The fest is powered by donations from local businesses. Bands still get paid, and proceeds are still helping support the History Center of Washington County.
The First Festival
The first HomeGrown Festival was in summer of 2015. The rules were simple: Wisconsin musicians, no cover bands, local food, no entrance fee. Donations were given. Bands were paid. Proceeds went to support the History Center of Washington County. It was so successful, and Wisconsin has such incredible musicians, that the decision was made to run the fest every summer, broadening the scope of who plays. Friends’ bands became friends’ friends’ bands.
The festival is a branch of the Hometown Foundation, a 501 c3 that supports organizations and communities in Washington County.
Our Start
Homegrown Festival began the way most small town festivals do–inspiration, beer, and dumb luck. In 2014, local man Michael Christian won the use of the Silver Lining Stage in West Bend’s Regner Park for a day. After he considered all of his options, he decided to invite his friends and their bands to play the stage, then also invited a few hundred people to watch, then invited food vendors and beer vendors to supply non-musical sustenance.