Festival Season

Summer means festival season in Minnesota.

We just wrapped up a record-breaking 18th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival with three days of free music in downtown Saint Paul, including packed performances by Joey Alexander (pictured on the left), Ellis and Delfeayo Marsalis, Russell Malone, John Pizzarelli, and Michael Franti & Spearhead. For a recap of all the fun, check out @tcjazzfestival on Storify.

Later this month, the Lowertown Blues Festival returns to Mears Park as the Lowertown Blues and Funk Festival with a night of funk added on Friday, July 22, followed by a night of blues on Saturday, July 23. It’s still the Twin Cities' largest, free blues festival—now with an extra dose of funk.

Then the 42^nd annual IndiaFest celebrates the growing and vibrant Indian community in Minnesota on August 20 at Minnesota State Capitol grounds.

And for those who want to escape the summer heat in a cool, dark theatre, Calendar Girls plays on Park Square Theatre's Proscenium Stage through July 24, and Other Tiger Productions brings The Palabras Project to Park Square's Andy Boss Thrust Stage July 8 - 17.