MINNEAPOLIS - Get out the water bottles, beer koozies and lawn chairs. It's outdoor music season in the Twin Cities, and as we Minnesotans can attest, it's not very long.
Here's a roundup of a few of the places you can spend your weekends until "fall" hits.
Art-A-Whirl
Friday, May 18-Sunday, May 20
Holy moly. Where to start? Art-A-Whirl brings a huge variety of art and music to the sprawling neighborhood of Northeast Minneapolis. And by huge, we mean like 650 artists at more than 50 locations. A few favorite stops include music at Bauhaus Brew Labs' Liquid Zoo and 331 Club, and open studios at the Northrup King Building. For more, check out the official overview from Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association.
Related: Last year we hit as many stops as we could in one hour and boy, was it a Whirl-wind.
Soundset
May 27
Soundset is an all-ages, all-day hip hop fest put on by Rhymesayers at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. This year, 40 artists will perform including Tyler the Creator, Erykah Badu, MIGOS, Logic, Atmosphere, and many more.
Rock the Garden
Saturday, June 16
This annual daylong music frenzy is put on by the expert curators at 89.3 The Current, at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. With Bon Iver headlining last year, pre-sale tickets sold out almost immediately. As of press time this year, though, you still have a chance to get in to see Father John Misty, Feist, Kamasi Washington, P.O.S, Nikki Lane, Chastity Brown, Low Cut Connie and Shame. More info and tickets here.
Twin Cities Jazz Festival
Thursday, June 21-Saturday, June 23
The Twin Cities Jazz Festival brings big names from far and wide to St. Paul for a three-day jazz extravaganza. This year's headliners are Tia Fuller, Houston Person with the Emmet Cohen Trio, Nayo Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott.
Related: Check out some photos and videos from last year.
Basilica Block Party
Friday, July 6-Saturday, July 7
2018 marks the 24th year of the Basilica Block Party, a three-stage, two-day music festival centered around the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. Catch national acts including Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, CAKE and Fitz and the Tantrums; and local talent like TABAH, Lady Lark, Lena Elizabeth and The Shackletons. That's just a sampling, though. Here's the full lineup.
Other outdoor shows and concert series:
- Music in the Zoo runs from June 2 to Aug. 27 at the Minnesota Zoo.
- Surly Brewing Festival Field will feature Spoon & Grizzly Bear June 30; Sylvan Esso July 20; Courtney Barnett July 21; and Gary Clark Jr. on Sept. 8.
- Gin Blossoms and Big Wu are headlining Common Sound Music Festival, put on by Bethel Synagogue & Benilde-St. Margaret's, on June 17, from 3 to 9 p.m. Tickets available here.
- Sociable Summer at Sociable Cider Werks includes Funk Fest on June 10, Americana Fest on July 29, and the NE Brewers Block Party on Aug. 19.
- Minneapolis Music in the Parks holds outdoor concerts and movies all summer. View the calendar here.
- The Stone Arch Bridge Festival will feature art, music, food, and events all weekend from June 15-17.
- Grand Old Day fills St. Paul's Grand Avenue with music, food and vendors on June 3. The lineup isn't announced yet, but when it is, you can find it here.
