Local country music artist and songwriter Kate Hasting of Hasting Music will fulfill her lifelong dream of hosting a music festival later this month.
The idea for Hasting Farm Fest was hatched years ago when Kate, her mother Libbee and her father Dan talked about “doing something small” on their family farm in New Carlisle.
That dream was put on hold in 2018 when Dan and Libbee Hasting were involved in an automobile accident. Dan Hasting lost his life and Libbee Hasting was critically injured.
Fast forward to 2024. Kate and Libbee decided now is the time and there is no better place than the Clark County Fairgrounds to host an event celebrating the community that supported them through their darkest time. The festival is Saturday, Sept. 28.
“After my dad passed … everything sort of went by the wayside,” said Kate Hasting. “And this last year really … I’ve sort of gotten a handle on some of the grief. Not that you ever get over it, but you turn a page and then you start to wonder, “what are we not doing that he would have done?’”
Kate Hasting said her father was a farmer, but he also liked Nashville and the music scene.
“It just kind of became this thing that I had to do,” she said. “I think this was just like a way to honor what he left behind and what he helped me build. And I think he’d be proud of us bringing good to Clark County because he really did believe in my hometown and that’s special to me.”
Hasting said her mother is “a force of nature” and she believes organizing Hasting Farm Fest has also given her something positive to do in memory of Dan Hasting.
“We’re not Country Concert, and we’re not trying to be,” said Kate. “But I think what makes our event kind of neat is the price point and affordability.”
General admission tickets to Hasting Farm Fest are $28 each. Children aged 10 and under are free with a paid adult.
“The community was so good to us after the accident,” said Kate Hasting. “It’s really unheard of, but it’s just like, what could we do? That’s a forward step and a positive step or a way to freely give back what was given to us.”
Proceeds from parking, donations and more will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign and Logan counties.
Kate Hasting, who lives in Nashville, said in 2020 she did a “deep dive” on food insecurity and became “painfully aware” of food shortages in local food banks.
“I just could not wrap my head around how that was possible. It was so shocking,” she said.
She then met with Second Harvest Foodbank and organized a fundraiser event called Meet Music Row. All proceeds went to Second Harvest.
“I couldn’t believe the good that went on in that organization,” she said. “I want to be a part of things that matter, and that was the first time I had seen an organization run so beautifully and be so focused on the community.”
Canned and non-perishable food donations will not be accepted at Hasting Farm Fest due to the logistics of transporting items, but additional cash donations can be made at the event. Second Harvest will use the funds to purchase needed items.
Libbee Hasting — who serves as her daughter’s tour manager — said Hasting Farm Fest is not just a music event.
“There are so many things happening,” she said. “We want to be known as a country music and community festival focusing on agriculture because of the history of agriculture in Clark County.”
Activities for children are free and include bounce houses, a petting zoo, face painting, clowns, crafts, pedal tractors and more.
The event will feature an antique tractor display, an agricultural drone, and Daniel the Cow — named in honor of Dan Hasting — will also make his debut appearance.
A community service area will feature local agencies such as Project Woman, where patrons can learn more about service opportunities and availability in the area.
The festival will kickoff at 1 p.m. with the arrival of a Care Flight medical helicopter.
“Care Flight is why I am here today,” said Libbee Hasting. “I could never say enough good about what they do.”
Deana Carter is the headliner of the music festival, along with numerous other artists throughout the day, and Kate Hasting will debut her latest music.
“My move forward is brave and maybe more bold than I have been in the past,” she said. “I think my dad would be pretty proud of that. The message is kindness and being yourself. I think that’s really important to me as an artist and I hope that is something we can use as building blocks to continue to make the community better.”
Dean Blair, executive director of the Clark County Fairgrounds, said he is looking forward to the birth of a new tradition.
“Just like we have a tradition of an antique show, the tradition of a fair, a boat race, cross country events. I have never seen anybody come in so not self-serving,” he said. “It’s obviously (their) life’s work, life’s dream to put this together. With (Libbee Hasting’s) energy, planning and dedication along with Kate’s, it’s going to be a new tradition.”
The Hastings have also done a significant amount of philanthropy ahead of the festival so more people can be involved and attend.
“I want to see people in our community just being here and having fun in their own hometown,” said Libbee Hasting. “I want to see kids happy, people enjoying the music. This community truly saved our family, and I want other people to feel that. I want them to feel that sense of community.”
Ahead of the Farm Fest, Hasting Music will host a Meet Music Row VIP event at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 27 at Mother Stewart’s Brewery in downtown Springfield. Gates for Hasting Farm Fest open at noon, Saturday, Sept. 28.
“This has happened in a beautiful way, quicker than I ever anticipated,” said Kate Hasting.
Tickets for Hasting Farm Fest are available online at: https://www.facebook.com/hastingfarmfest/
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