Usually: June
Twin Cities Jazz Festival
Saint Paul
Two days of free jazz in and around Mears Park in St. Paul's Lowertown, with a main stage and sets in the bars and clubs nearby.
Evenitto's guide · Minneapolis–St. Paul
Music festivals in Minnesota and the Midwest
From free jazz in St. Paul in June to the State Fair Grandstand at the end of August, with Chicago and Milwaukee a drive away: the summer's music festivals, with dates as their organizers announce them.
The festivals to know
The festivals people plan their summer around, with the month they usually take place. Dates change every year, so check the festival's own site.
Usually: July
Minnesota Yacht Club Festival
Saint Paul
A three-day festival of rock, pop and indie on Harriet Island, across the Mississippi from downtown St. Paul, first held in 2024.
Usually: Late August to Labor Day
Minnesota State Fair Grandstand
Falcon Heights
The twelve days of the Minnesota State Fair end on Labor Day, with a ticketed concert at the Grandstand most nights and free stages across the fairgrounds, included with fair admission.
Usually: August
WE Fest
Detroit Lakes
Three days of country music and camping at Soo Pass Ranch near Detroit Lakes, in the lake country of northwestern Minnesota.
Usually: Late July or early August
Lollapalooza
Chicago
Four days in Chicago's Grant Park with big names in pop, rock, hip-hop and electronic music.
Usually: Late June to early July
Summerfest
Milwaukee
Milwaukee's festival on the Lake Michigan shore, spread over three long weekends with stages from rock to country to hip-hop.
