Backyard Bash brings family friendly farm music festival to rural Nerstrand

The Backyard Bash, a free, family-friendly day of music in the country is coming around again on Saturday, Oct. 5 from noon to 9 p.m. Nine southeast Minnesota bands will perform on two stages located on the Medin farm in rural Nerstrand. Parking will be in the farm’s hayfield.

The address is 15324 Latopp Court, Nerstrand, MN 55053.

After the Medin family started the music festival in 2017, it has made improvements to the festival operations each year. Before the pandemic in 2019, PJ Medin said the festival drew 430 attendees who listened to 15 bands over the course of the nine-hour concert.

While the nine-hour music festival itself is free, free will donations are always appreciated, he said. BD Sammies food truck will be on site, bottled water is available and concert goers are encouraged to bring portable lawn chairs and blankets.

“The Bash,” which his family patterned after the Willmar Sunshine Festival, continues to evolve, he said.

So, too, does the Medin family band named Breakthrough. Started by brothers PJ and Drew Medin, Breakthrough began as a small town rock band and is now defined by powerful vocals, catchy melodies, soaring guitar solos, and heartfelt lyrics.

Breakthrough consists of PJ and Drew on guitar and bass; Shon on drums, Catherine as lead vocals, Daniel on violin and vocals and Sarah on keyboard and backup vocals. Another sister photographs the band for marketing and advertising purposes. “We’re all self-trained musicians who learned by ear,” he said.

In the spirit of helping another emerging musician, a raffle will be held during the Bash for a Gibson Epiphone Les Paul guitar. “It’s so fun to see the guitar end up in the hands of a young musician who truly appreciates the gift,” he said.

Breakthrough’s latest album is “Dirt.”

Medin said all of his siblings are married, and five out of the seven have children of their own. Many listeners ask them about parallels to other famous traveling family bands, such as the Partridge Family or the Von Trapp Family Singers.

“We’re lucky,” he said. “We’re close as a family, and the band is a big part of that strong bond.”