With country tunes filling the air, the second annual Farmers Fest came to life on Oct. 23 in Aggie Park. The twang of guitars and buzz of merchandise and food vendors set the scene for the student-led concert, where members of Aggie Men’s Club, or AMC, worked behind the scenes and among the crowd, directing logistics, serving food and ensuring the event’s success.
The concert began with a set from The Blue Wings, a local College Station student band, followed by Virginia-based rising country group The Jack Wharff Band. Before headliner country band Midland closed out the night, supply chain management senior and Chairman of Farmers Fest Jacob DeLeon took to the stage to share the heart of the event with attendees: “The purpose of what we’re doing is a lot greater.”
Farmers Fest was founded and first held in August 2024 by AMC. The festival brought together live music, vendors, students and the local community for one special night. All proceeds benefit Kairos Christian School in Guatemala, providing faith-based education and support for families seeking a brighter future. The proceeds from Farmers Fest represent over a third of Kairos’ annual budget, DeLeon said.
In addition to raising money for the school, AMC also sends members on an annual mission trip to Guatemala. DeLeon went on his first trip over spring break in March, and his experience in Guatemala allowed him to see AMC’s impact firsthand. The Aggies sent to Guatemala help by building homes and ministering to Kairos’ students.
“It is a really sweet experience,” DeLeon said. “We get to hang out with the kids and play soccer with them. Just getting to meet them, minister to them and have them, honestly, minister to us about having joy without having a lot of material possession.”
DeLeon said that this year they wanted to expand the event in order to allow AMC to continue to support Kairos. Along with other organizations including Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Sigma Chi Fraternity and Brotherhood of Christian Aggies, AMC has worked for nearly a year to scale the event and bring in bigger artists to get the community and students more involved.
“We wanted to get all of the people in Aggieland, rather than just the students, involved,” DeLeon said. “Farmers Fest was started by AMC, but we’re fortunate to start a nonprofit and also involve other groups. So it’s no longer just our organization, but rather a group of people that are passionate about Kairos and philanthropy putting on a good show.”
From Raging Bull Street Taco’s and Cooper’s BBQ to The Bees Knees Lemonade and Aggieland Bartending, food and merchandise vendors provided guests with a full assortment of food and drink selections. Other merchants included Kendra Scott, Whiskey Bent Hat Co. and a cowboy hat customization bar.
“My main pitch is always, ‘This is one of the few ways that you can directly give to philanthropy and give to a great cause while also getting something amazing for yourself,’” DeLeon said. “I just think it’s like a perfect opportunity to be generous but also have a great experience for yourself and your family and friends.”
The annual AMC trip to serve Kairos in Guatemala is planned and organized by Mission Discovery, a nonprofit organization based out of Gallatin, Tennessee, that arranges short-term mission trips for churches and college groups. Director of U.S. Projects Michael Kneff has worked with Kairos for nearly 15 years, connecting AMC and Kairos over 10 years ago.
“That’s really what our primary purpose is,” Kneff said. “Connecting groups with charities and ministries that are doing work out and about and throughout the world.”
Kairos Christian School, located in Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala, was founded by Mayra Garcia in 2010 and began as a program feeding children in need. Kneff has seen Kairos grow to a full-fledged school for grades 1 through 8 that provides a Christian education to students, as well as financial support for families. He said that beyond being a school, Kairos reaches its community in other tangible ways, such as building homes for those in need.
“Usually it’s about three houses that they build per week, specifically the Aggies,” Kneff said. “So somewhere in the range of like 30 homes is what they’ve built since they’ve been going down there. And then they support Kairos with fundraisers like Farmers Fest.”
Kneff said that Kairos’ ultimate goal is to produce more success stories of students graduating high school and going into college and the workforce. It also aims to fight the cycle of poverty by providing a quality Christian education to families, according to Kneff.
“Kairos has grown year after year with the number of students they’ve had, and they’ve been able to offer their school to a number of families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it,” Kneff said. “And the Aggies are a huge part of that.”
The music-filled night began with an opening set performed by The Blue Wings. The band began playing at a Beta Theta Pi cook-off event two years ago and performed at the first Farmers Fest last year.
“We are just thrilled for the opportunity, it’s not something that many people can say they did while they’re at college,” band member and mechanical engineering junior Alex Jinnette said.
Booked to play the second Farmers Fest since May, The Blue Wings had been preparing for the big night and crafting a curated setlist for their audience.
“I’m so grateful we got to play at such an amazing event,” band member and management senior Mia Heyburn said. “Seeing AMC bring so many people together to have fun and benefit philanthropy is incredible; getting to play for people is always fun but knowing it’s going to a great cause makes it joyful.”
Finance junior and AMC member Blake Heath attended Farmers Fest for the second year. As a member of the organization’s external ministries team, he said he looked forward to being involved in the event directly benefiting Kairos. Heath said the lineup of artists put on an incredible show that exceeded expectations.
“We definitely hope that people continue to come in future years, as well as we continue to scale to bring in talent and just enjoy Aggie Park,” Heath said. “Come support Kairos, what they’re doing in Guatemala is truly amazing.”
