Over 20 years since previously visiting Indiana, the annual Farm Aid benefit festival finally rolled back into Noblesville’s Ruoff Music Center for a full day’s worth of all-star performances and awareness-raising presentations.

While many surely would’ve come out to catch board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds) and Margo Price for any occasion, the fact that it championed family farmers, drew attention to climate change, plus promoted regenerative, organic and sustainable practices made it all the more meaningful.

The 90-year-old Nelson, who limited photography, may have ended the concert, though it was his longtime friend and Farm Aid idea planter, Bob Dylan, who’s unannounced appearance alongside members of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers served as the surprise of the century.

Though he was even more camera shy with a completely closed pit, the treasured 82-year-old troubadour made a gallant return to his “Rough And Rowdy Ways” on guitar for rarely performed hits “Maggie’s Farm” and “Positively 4th Street,” in addition to “Ballad Of A Thin Man” from the classic “Highway 61 Revisited.”

Double Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Young, 77, ranked right up there while turning in a short but sturdy solo acoustic/harmonica set stocked with “Comes A Time,” “Are There Any More Real Cowboys?,” “Love Earth” and “Heart Of Gold.”

It was a homecoming of sorts for Bloomington native and fellow Hall of Famer Mellencamp, who may be fresh off the “Orpheus Descending” album, but kept it primarily to heartland anthems such as “Small Town,” “Crumblin’ Down” and “Pink Houses.”

Dueling guitarists Matthews and Tim Reynolds unplugged for a handful of DMB favorites and otherwise, coming across particularly impressive throughout the modern day rocker “Monsters” and the jazzy flashback “Crush.”

The Illinois-born Price lived up to her reputation as one of this generation’s most gifted Americana troubadours with heartfelt expressions off the current “Strays” collection on back to her heralded debut, “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter,” complete with sidekick Sturgill Simpson.

There were also earlier essentials and guests galore, including an abridged jam session by Grateful Dead’s Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack, Simpson and Willie’s son Lukas Nelson, some classic rock covers from The Jim Irsay Band, who made a million dollar donation on behalf of the Indianapolis Colts, original Heart singer Ann Wilson and truly tons more.

Yet no amount of celebrity or artistry could overshadow the vital cause at hand, which since starting in Champaign circa 1985 has thus far raised over $70 million “to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.”

Kathryn Randall contributed to this review.

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Click here for more photos of Farm Aid at Ruoff Music Center.

For upcoming Farm Aid announcements, visit FarmAid.org.