Student-led music festival combatting food insecurity comes to Dartmouth this summer

A concert is performed indoors. (Courtesy of Feed Nova Scotia)

A not-for-profit music festival showcasing local artists and combatting food insecurity is set to take place June 12 and 13 at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, N.S.

The festival, Food For The Ears, is meant for all ages, and organizers have announced the lineup of award-winning performers.

“We have a great ECMA, Nova Scotia Music Award and Juno-winning lineup this year,” said event organizer Ethan Chitty to CTV Your Morning Atlantic’s Crystal Garrett.

All proceeds go to Feed Nova Scotia, and Chitty says they hope to raise $7,000 or more.

Chitty, 19, started the first iteration of the festival in Truro when he was 16.

“It has really just grown so much in the last four years,” he says.

Ash Avery, the executive director of the event, says it’s a great way to bring people together around music for a good cause.

“It’s really great for us to see the youth of today taking an interest in this cause and doing things in community that give back,” she says. “We’re really impressed.”

Chitty and Avery say they wanted to make sure the festival was affordable. Tickets to attend the two-day festival are $75.

“A lot of our demographic is high school students and people just coming up in the music scene, playing music and going to shows,” says Chitty. “I remember when I was a kid and going to these shows, I couldn’t put $200 into a music festival.”

Chitty says his interest in combatting food insecurity started when he worked at the food bank with his mom while he was in middle school.

“I’ve just always kinda had that on my mind,” he says. “It was always at the forefront when I was living in Truro and I just wanted to combine the music and the cause and I thought this would be a good way to do it.”

Avery says they’re seeing more people accessing food banks due to the current cost of living.

“We’ve seen a concerning trend over the years, but in the most recent months it continues to get worse,” she says. “People who are working are showing up to food banks now cause they’re unable to meet their basic needs with their income, and we know that 80 per cent of those showing up to a food bank are citing the cost of living as the main factor as to why they’re there.”

More information and tickets to the festival are available on their website.

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