There tends to be a lot of pressure surrounding New Years plans. Do you spend it with friends? Family? How do you make it special without having to dig too deep outside of your comfort zone? The Hometeam New Years Rally focuses on community, with a concentration on vibes – and just might be your perfect solution. What better way to ring in 2017 than surrounded by the people you love, the music that inspires you, and holistic workshops to cultivate change in our daily lives and practices?
Celebrating their fifth year, the Hometeam New Years Rally is taking over Maddox Ranch in Lakeland, Florida from December 29th to January 1st. The gathering began as a way to showcase the array of talent in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and provide a safe and fun environment for all ages, but has evolved into a union and reunion that encourages all patrons to believe in their unique talents, find others with like-minded interests, and reignite passions that may have taken a back seat to their regular everyday lives. The event seeks to provide the perfect balance between the intimacy of a small festival, and the professional feeling and quality production of bigger events.
There are several reasons to welcome the new year with the Hometeam, but here are five particularly special ones.
5. The Location – The Maddox Ranch is family owned and operated in Central Florida. Without being too hold or too cold, it’s the perfect time of year to camp with your family and friends and enjoy the beauty of life. Yes, there will even be horses and a designated petting area as part of the full ranch.
4. The Playshops – Aside from the music, there will be holistic playshops to spur the refresh button into the new year. The holistic playshops are brought to you by Rising Light and the Illumination Project.
Festival organizers had this to say about what to expect from this year’s playshops, “For a lot of our patrons, the Hometeam New Years Rally is about more than just the music. It can be a transformational weekend for many, so we put a special amount of effort into fostering the holistic experience. We’ll be providing a variety of PLAYshops that promote sustainability, social empowerment, community enrichment and personal growth. Highlights include: Morning yoga all 3 days, Arts and Crafts, DIY Natural Health and Beauty Care, Tiny Homes and Simple Living, Community Songwriting with Este Loves and other Hometeam Heroes, and a Drum Circle Basics 101. The Hometeam realizes that the community we have built is important, and in order for that to prosper, we must create a positive and sustainable environment.”
3. Coffee Shop Sessions by: Joose – Joose, known for their unique sound and mind-melting Herbie Hancock Tribute show, is a refreshing Fusion collective based out of central Florida. With influences ranging from Jazz, Funk, Latin, Soul, and Groove; this energetic live show experience is going to be the perfect way to start your day both Saturday and Sunday. Joose includes members from Come Back Alice, Holey Miss Moley, and Ajeva and is quickly becoming a crowd favorite in the region. You can listen to a live version of Joose’s original song “We’ve Got a Lot of Work to Do” from their performance at The Great Outdoors Jam on their website.
The sessions will be held Saturday Morning from 10:30am – 11:30am and Sunday Morning from 11:30am – 12:30pm. Get up early and have some Joose with your coffee!
2. The Family – The Hometeam New Years Rally is a family friendly event. Whether the kids are playing on the big down tree at the ranch, or at the Future Music Makers tent, they are sure to be enjoying themselves. FMM involves the kids, in combination with the musicians in order to form an inspiring learning environment. With workshops ranging from Music Lessons, to interviews with Artists of the festival, to jam sessions, the FMM tent is going to be packed with a lot of beneficial experiences for all ages.
Additionally, kids under 12 get free entry and there will be designated areas for quiet family camping. There will also be plenty of family experiences offered, consisting of music and art workshops throughout the day! The familial community will only be continued for the teens, who get their own “Teens Only” lounge for after-dark hours. Bringing the family together is important, especially to ring in the New Year.
According to festival organizers, “Hometeam is not just a festival… it’s a family. It’s an ever growing community of individuals whose shared love for music, arts, and good intention has become a launching pad for making dreams come true. While music is the common denominator that initially draws new patrons in, it’s genuine friendship and sense of family that has fueled our community to thrive and grow over the last 4 years. Whether you are a musician, an artist, a teacher, a lawyer, or just a fan of life, you will find not only acceptance, but uplifting support within the Hometeam.”
1. The Lineup – The Hometeam is known for continuous artist collaborations throughout the weekend. You will see one-of-a-kind sets from all the bands that include multiple sit-ins built to create an entertaining show. A majority of these musicians are always playing and sitting in with each other on a regular basis, so hometeam feels like a big family reunion from the get-go. Not to mention Christian Ryan’s Year in Revue: A funk-filled and soulful reflection to the icons of music we’ve lost in 2016, Ajeva playing Santana, and After Funk playing Hendrix. The homage tributes always make for a sing-a-long marathon.
To futher inspire the specialties, there are six artists-at-large this year, including Roosevelt Collier, Isaac Corbitt, Joe Marcinek, Christian Ryan, Mark Mayea, and Sara Phillips.
With headlining acts from The Nth Power, Zach Deputy, and The Mantras, the New Years Rally will also feature specialty showcases from Roosevelt Collier’s Hometeam Getdown, the weekend inevitably rounds out to something special. Funk rockers The Fritz and Backup Planet will be on deck, with southern-gypsy-funk band Come Back Alice and bluegrass extraordinaires The Applebutter Express. The festival’s foundation is in Florida, so plenty of local bands will be on-site to represent, including Juanjamon Band, Holey Miss Moley, Displace, The Groove Orient, Heather Gillis Band, Savi Fernandez Band, Guavatron, and a whole lot more. Check out the lineup announcement video below!
Check out the full lineup in the poster below: