Basilica Block Party makes its return, relocates to Boom Island Park
MINNEAPOLIS — After a two-year hiatus, the Basilica Block Party is returning to Minneapolis to a new location on Boom Island.
After the concert was canceled in 2020 due to COVID, it returned for a scaled-back event in 2021. Then organizers took a two-year break before announcing its return. This year it's at Boom Island Park because of construction happening around the Basilica of St. Mary.
With the location change, there is now a ferris wheel and a variety of different food trucks at Boom Island.
Music is still the main attraction: The headliner Friday night is the Goo Goo Dolls, and on Saturday it'll be the Counting Crows. The bands will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. A number of local bands will also take the stage over the course of the weekend.
"It's a lot of work, but we have a great team of partners and a lot of volunteers that help run this event. We'll have over 400 volunteers on the weekend, helping from wrist banding, selling you beverages, and it's a team effort so we are really excited about that," said Emily Grondahl, Chair of Basilica Block Party.
Doors opened at noon and the first band will begin playing at 12:30 p.m. Due to the heat, there will be water stations around the premises, and concert-goers are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles. Lawn chairs can be used in the general admission area all day.
"I'm personally really excited," said Grondahl "My first Basilica Block Party was 2012 when the Goo Goo Dolls were here. So this is full circle for me and I'm excited to see them again."
General admission tickets are $10 per day, or $179 for both days.All proceeds go to restoration of the Basilica.