Bob Dylan Joins Farm Aid 40 Lineup as Festival Moves Forward in Minneapolis After Strike Settlement

Bob Dylan Joins Farm Aid 40 Lineup as Festival Moves Forward in Minneapolis After Strike Settlement

Farm Aid 40 will go on as planned this Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus, following a tentative labor agreement that resolved a strike threatening to derail the iconic festival.

The deal, announced late last week, came after Farm Aid’s production crew — a unionized group — pledged not to cross picket lines in solidarity with striking U of M workers. Members of Teamsters Local 320, which represents 1,400 custodial, food service, and maintenance employees, had walked off the job earlier in the week after contract talks stalled. The union sought wage increases that would bring them in line with other university employee groups. The tentative agreement allows the 40th anniversary concert to move forward as scheduled.

Dylan’s Homecoming

The weekend’s event will carry added significance with the late-breaking announcement that Bob Dylan has been added to the lineup. It marks Dylan’s first concert in Minneapolis in more than a decade.

• A Minnesota Return: Born in Duluth and raised in Hibbing, Dylan briefly attended the University of Minnesota, living just blocks from where Saturday’s show will take place. He also once co-owned the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.
• First Minneapolis Show Since 2014: Dylan last performed in the city during a three-night residency at the Orpheum Theatre in November 2014. He has since played elsewhere in Minnesota, including St. Paul in 2017 and Mankato earlier this year.
• Farm Aid Origins: Dylan’s remark at the 1985 Live Aid concert — suggesting that a portion of the money raised go to struggling U.S. farmers — directly inspired Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp to launch Farm Aid. Dylan performed at the first two Farm Aid concerts and made a surprise appearance at the 2023 festival. His return for the 40th anniversary underscores the full-circle legacy of the movement he helped spark.

Star-Packed Lineup and Legacy

Dylan joins a roster that includes Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), and Margo Price, alongside Kenny Chesney, Billy Strings, Wynonna Judd, and Minnesota’s own Trampled by Turtles.

Since its founding in 1985, Farm Aid has raised more than $78 million to support family farmers, promote sustainable agriculture, and strengthen rural communities. The annual benefit has become both a fundraising powerhouse and a cultural institution, showcasing legendary performances while standing in solidarity with America’s farmers.

With the labor dispute resolved, fans can expect the 40th anniversary festival to deliver both music and meaning — a celebration rooted in resilience, unity, and the enduring bond between artists and family farmers.

For ticket information, schedules, and streaming details, visit farmaid.org.

Minneapolimedia