HOMEGROWN LIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL RETURNS TO FULL FORMAT THIS SPRING

Kingston's annual celebration of live, local music returns Saturday, May 6, 2023

Kingston, ON - April 11, 2023. HomeGrown Live Music Productions announces that it will celebrate the 15th anniversary of its HomeGrown Live Music Festival on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The one-day, all-local music festival will showcase over 110 Kingston-based musical acts performing at 13 different live music venues across downtown Kingston. The annual festival, started in 2008, raises much-needed funds for The Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Lending Library (Joe’s M.I.L.L.). All-access wristbands are $10, and available for purchase at each of the participating venues on the festival date. 

This year marks a return to the festival's fully live-and-in-person format following a virtual format in 2021 and a scaled-back edition in 2022. This year's festival promises to be a huge showcase of Kingston’s musical talent. 

“This is the way HomeGrown Live is supposed to be,” says festival coordinator Chris Morris. “We did our best over the last three years to keep the HomeGrown spirit alive and to champion our scene through tough times, but we’re incredibly grateful to be back to form. We ran 11 festivals at this scale, and we can’t wait to be back at it on May 6.”

The HomeGrown Live Music festival is planned, organized and executed by hundreds of volunteers who donate their time and talent to curating the performance lineups, collecting admissions at the door, and managing the festival logistics. Even the musical acts themselves—all of whom are based in and around the Kingston area—donate their performances to support HomeGrown Live's fundraising cause.

“Joe’s M.I.L.L. is excited to have Homegrown Live back in full force,” says Joe’s M.I.L.L president Denis Leroux. “This event is the main fundraising event for the M.I.L.L., and allows us to continue to provide the Kingston community with the opportunity to borrow and play instruments. Once again, I’d like to thank the Homegrown Live team, its volunteers, and musicians for making this happen, and hope to see you all at the shows.”

Downtown Kingston music venues that are participating in the 2023 HomeGrown Live Music Festival include:

• Blu Martini, The Broom Factory, Monte's, Musiikki Café, R.C.H.A. Club, Renaissance Supper Club, Royal Tavern 2.0, The Buckle, The Caesar Company, The Mansion (three separate shows), The Toucan

The full festival schedule and venue lineups are available online at www.homegrownlive.ca (lineups are subject to change). Performers were selected based on an application process

The 2023 HomeGrown Live Music Festival is made possible thanks to the generous support of Arden's Music, Ironclad Printing Company, Downtown Kingston BIA, Fractal Workspace, Kingston Live, Kingston Sound Works, Kingstonist, Long & McQuade Kingston, Machines for Living In - Mark Sinnett & Cheri Rose Genyk from Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty, Peter Finnegan BMO Nesbitt Burns, and Waypoint. Full festival details are available at www.homegrownlive.ca