-By Kate Bartlet-t
Fall festivals are on the horizon, and that includes WNY favorite Borderland Music and Arts Festival this weekend September 17- 18, with VIP Party Friday, September 16. Celebrating its 5th year, this festival celebrates the rich history and renaissance of the region with a two-day music and cultural festival in scenic Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora. This year’s lineup includes Portugal the Man, The Flaming Lips, Michael Franti and Spearhead along with several others.
Jennifer Brazill is owner and founder of Borderland Music + Arts Festival. She is also the owner of Rail Rider Jamboree which was started at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, NY last year and will return in March, 2023. Jennifer got her start working in the music industry with the Dave Matthews Band over 20 years ago, and has been working in the industry since (visit https://www.jenniferbrazill.com for more information).
Jennifer started the Borderland festival in 2018 after moving back to her hometown of East Aurora after a long stint on the West Coast in Colorado and California. The festival was the first of its kind in the area. She describes the festival as “A two-day grassroots, boutique music and arts festival cultivated around community and sustainability. We take over 15 acres of beautiful space at Knox Farm State Park where we build 3 stages, an artisan craft village, kids’ area, food court, bars and beyond. We really create a beautiful space that is family friendly yet feels like you have walked into a Woodstock vibe, of 2022.”
Borderland features a mix of national, regional and local artists. Past festivals have highlighted many Grammy Award winning artists including legendary Mavis Staples, John Oates from Hall and Oates, Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule, 7-time Grammy winner Jason Isbell. This year’s headliners include Portugal the Man and The Flaming Lips.
The venue of Knox Farm is a beautiful 633-acre State Park with a rich history. “Knox Farm is a microcosm of our entire region with its unique habitat variety including grasslands, hayfields, pastures, woodlands, ponds and wetlands.” Located in East Aurora, the birthplace of the Roycoft Arts & Crafts movement, the area is the ideal setting to host the Borderland festival.
“We have a heavy focus on sustainability, as we are a plastic free site. We offer free water stations for water refills (instead of disposable plastic bottles) and sell stainless steel cups with a $1 off beer incentives to try and limit single use waste. We really try and message to our fans that we need to tread lightly and leave no trace.”
New this year, the festival will offer tethered hot air balloon rides on both Saturday and Sunday. They will also feature video walls on the main stage with videos and old photos showing throughout the festival. Steve Tasker and Steve Christie from the Buffalo Bills (alumni) will be making an appearance for Sunday Funday activities to hype up for the Monday night game the following day. There will also be a curated kid’s area with face painting and musical instruments and kids 10 and under are free with a parent/adult.
Jennifer’s favorite thing about the festival is its location. “I love everything about the festival but this location is just fantastic. Somehow, I created this in the town that I grew up in and where my family is 5 generations rooted. The community and the venue are so special to me; I feel so lucky to be able to create this event in my hometown and home region of Buffalo. I also selfishly curate the line ups with bands that I LOVE so I am in love with every band that plays at Borderland.”
Jennifer reminds us to continue to support local artists. “Local artists and musicians are what make up the fabric of the communities that we live in. We need to nurture and support all of them in order to ensure our communities thrive with creativity.”
Tickets and full schedule are available online https://borderlandfestival.com/ with a variety of options available including 2-day tickets, 1-day, VIP Passes, and RV/Camping options.
She leaves us with two favorite quotes: “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And one from Hunter S. Thompson “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”