Overview
- Organizers announced Thursday that Farm Aid 2026 will take place Sept. 26 at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach and will be broadcast live on CNN from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
- CNN will also stream daylong coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. ET on nugs.net, FarmAid.org and YouTube and will offer additional streaming via cnn.com/watch and the CNN app.
- The televised prime-time lineup features Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson and Family, Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff.
- CNN anchors John Berman and Laura Coates will co-anchor the special with chief climate correspondent Bill Weir reporting on site to connect performances to farm and food issues.
- Farm Aid was founded in 1985 to support family farmers and has raised more than $85 million to date, and organizers say the expanded broadcast aims to drive donations and raise awareness like the 2025 telecast that brought in sizable audience gifts.