Best Upcoming Summer Concerts In Minnesota

Amidst the many Minnesota camping and fishing trips and visits to lakes and cabins, summer time is the perfect season to also kick back and enjoy an occasional concert. Concert goers have a wide variety of music to choose from whether it's a small orchestral performance or rocking out in a jam packed arena. If you are having a difficult time choosing which summer concerts to hit up, start here with this brief list of the best upcoming summer concerts.

Jennifer Lopez, Il Divo, Gotye
Target Center
600 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 673-0900
www.targetcenter.com

Click here for tickets

For concerts by performers from everything including Sesame Street Live to Justin Bieber and Rush, the Target Center is the place to go for tickets to the hottest summer concerts in Minnesota. Since its opening in 1990, the Target Center has hosted more than 4,000 events for over 25 million guests. Concerts to check out this summer include Latin rock and soul performers Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez on August 1, operatic pop group Il Divo on August 2, and rising star Gotye on August 26.

Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, and Cracker
2012 Subway Music in the Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
13000 Zoo Blvd.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
(952) 431-9200
www.mnzoo.com

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The Subway Music in the Zoo celebrates its 20^th year anniversary this summer with tons of concerts from June 2 to September 2. Performers range from Mary Chapin Carpenter on August 1, 2012 to Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler and Cracker on August 7, 2012. Tickets for concerts at the zoo are available at Ticketmaster and Electric Fetus and also allow admission to the zoo after 4 p.m. The Weesner Family Amphitheater then opens for concerts at 7 p.m.

Black Twig Pickers and New Southern Ramblers
Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association
P.O. Box 16408
Minneapolis, MN 55416
800-635-3037
www.minnesotabluegrass.org

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The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival will be celebrating its 33rd anniversary this year from August 9-12. Bands that will be appearing this year include the Black Twig Pickers, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, and the New Southern Ramblers. A number of activities will also take place at this festival as well as venues that include the Young Talent Stage, the Marketplace Stage, and Ranch House Live. There are also old-time stringband instructional camps which take place prior to the festival held by Chris Jones and the Night Drivers and the New Southern Ramblers. These camps include instruction for instruments by individuals as well as group playing and singing.

Minneapolis Music and Movies
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Rd.
Minneapolis, MN  55411
(612) 230-6400
www.mplsmusicandmovies.com

Minneapolis Music and Movies, supported by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, provides more than 200 free concerts and 60 free movies from May 28 to September 3. The concerts are performed at five different parks: Lake Harriet Bandshell, Minnehaha Falls Bandshell, Nicollet Island Ampitheatre, Father Hennepin Bluffs Park and Bryant Square Park. Select from a wide range of musical genres from folk music to rock and blues, jazz and Caribbean dance music and then grab your blanket or chair, sunblock and bugspray and enjoy.

Related:  Summer Concert Guide

Little Richard, Jimmie Vaugn, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Bayfront Blues Festival
Bayfront Festival Park
5^th Avenue West and Railroad Street
Duluth, MN  55803
(715) 394-6831 ext. 101
www.bayfrontblues.com

Date: August 10 - 12, 2012
Price:  $35 for single day tickets/$95 three day tickets

The Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth is widely known as one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the upper midwest. Each year, more than 30 bands entertain over 20,000 fans at Bayfront Festival Park. The festival is a three day event lasting from August 10 to August 12, 2012 with well known performers such as Little Richard, Jimmie Vaugn, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Wilson Picket and Buddy Guy. Tickets are available for purchase to single day events or for all three days of the festival.

Related: Summer Movie Blockbusters 2012

Christina Majaski is a full-time legal assistant and freelance writer for online and print publications. She has an obsession for all things related to social media and invites you to follow along with her on Twitter @cmajaski. She currently resides with her daughter in central Minnesota. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.