Mpls: June 25 to June 27, 2026
From local favorites to emerging new talent, the Sunset Series is a showcase for great talent from all genres.
Join us Thursday evenings, mid-June though mid-August at 7pm in Downtown Park, 40 Ninth Avenue S, Hopkins. Bring a chair and some friends!
If there’s rain, we’ll announce we’re moving indoors by 3pm day of concert.
June 11 Salsa del Soul
June 18 Tae & The Neighborly
June 25 The Strolling Clones
July 9 Hot Club Mania
July 16 International Reggae All-Stars (Hopkins Raspberry Festival week)
July 23 The Montvales
July 30 Hopkins Westwind Big Band
August 6 Power of 10
August 13 Obi Original & The Black Atlantics
August 20 Kelly Blau Trio
📍 Downtown Park, City of Hopkins
🎶 Free and open to all
- 06/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
- 06/18 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
- 06/19 – Washington DC – DC9
- 06/20 – Mount Solon, VA – Red Wing Roots Festival
- 06/22 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House
- 06/23 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
- 06/24 – Nashville, TN – Third Man Blue Room
- 06/26 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
- 06/27 – Milwaukee, WI – The Argo
- 06/28 – Chicago, IL – Schubas
- 06/30 – Ferndale, MI – Magic Bag
- 07/01 – Toronto, ON – Sound Garage
- 07/02 – Montreal, QC – L’Esco
- 07/03 – Boston, MA – Arts at the Armory
- 07/30 – Seattle, WA – Barboza
- 07/31-08/02 – Happy Valley, OR – Pickathon (Festival)
- 08/04 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
- 08/07 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
- 08/08 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
- 08/09 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
- 08/11 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery
- 08/12 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
- 08/14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge (Psych Lake City Festival)
- 08/15 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club
- 08/16 – Spokane, WA – The District
- Nov 12th – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
- Nov 13th – Dublin, IE @ Workmans Club
- Nov 15th – Glasgow, UK @ The Rum Shack
- Nov 16th – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room)
- Nov 17th – London, UK @ Scala
- Nov 18th – Lille, FR @ La Bulle
- Nov 19th – Paris, FR @ LePopUp!
- Nov 22nd – Milan, IT @ Arci Bellezza
- Nov 23rd – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
- Nov 24th – Munich, DE @ Milla
- Nov 25th – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse
- Nov 27th – Prague, CZ @ Café V Lese
- Nov 29th – Warsaw, PL @ Chmury
- Dec 1st – Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
- Dec 2nd – Hamburg, DE @ Hebebuhne
- Dec 3rd – Malmö, SE @ Plan B
- Dec 4th – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik
- Dec 5th – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7
- Dec 6th – Oslo, NO @ John Dee
- Dec 7th – Copenhagen, DK @ Rust
- Dec 9th – Utrecht, NL @ DB’s
- Dec 10th – Kortrijk, BE @ Wilde Westen
- Dec 11th – Hasselt, BE @ AFF
- Dec 13th – Tilburg, NL @ Hall of Fame
- May 29 — Petaluma, CA — The Big Easy
- May 30 — Fresno, CA — Summer Fox Brewing Company
- June 24 — Chicago, IL — Reggies
- June 25 — Milwaukee, WI — Shank Hall
- June 27 — Saint Paul, MN — Turf Club
- Aug. 7 — Tillsonburg, ON — Buddies Fest
- Sept. 27 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom (Frank Turner’s Lost Evenings IX)
For more than 40 years, the festival formerly known as the Irish Fair of Minnesota has brought generations together through Irish music, dance, storytelling, athletics, food, and cultural celebration on Harriet Island in St. Paul. Today, however, Twin Cities Irish Fest faces one of the most difficult financial moments in its history.
Like many other nonprofit arts and cultural organizations across the country, the festival is navigating a combination of rising production costs, inflation, shifting sponsorship landscapes, and increased upfront expenses with larger and earlier-than-usual payment deadlines for artists, staging, infrastructure, and festival operations.
To meet these immediate cashflow needs and ensure this year’s festival can move forward as planned, Twin Cities Irish Fest has launched a community-powered fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $185,000 by June 27.
So far TCIF has secured $106,000 of the funds needed through private donors and traditional funding channels in order to lock in critical infrastructure (like security, portable restrooms, etc.) but are still short approximately $77,500 for deposits related to entertainment and overall experience and convenience such as tents for shade, additional bars, and parking shuttles.
“We really want to keep the festival at the level that fans have come to expect,” said TCIF Board Chair, Macy Ashby, “but given all of the external forces that have changed our cashflow timeline, we need to ask for help to make that transition during 2026, and ensure we don’t end up here in 2027. Every little bit helps – if everyone who bought a ticket last year gave a donation of even $10-$20, we’d meet our goal!”
The campaign is designed not only to address immediate financial pressures, but also to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the festival.
TCIF is a volunteer-powered nonprofit organization supported by families, musicians, dancers, artists, local businesses, and thousands of attendees each year. Each year the festival hosts internationally acclaimed Irish and Celtic musicians, local Minnesota artists and performers, family-friendly cultural programming, Irish dance, athletics, storytelling, and educational experiences with the help of hundreds of volunteers from across the region.
“We are passionate about remaining a destination as one of the largest and most significant cultural festivals in the Midwest,” said Macy. “And we are especially dedicated to our mission of providing not only the best quality experience possible for our festivalgoers, but also an accessible and affordable one. For decades, people from across Minnesota have gathered here to celebrate music, culture, family, and connection. We’re asking our community to help us protect and preserve that tradition for future generations.”
Supporters are encouraged to donate at https://www.twincitiesirishfest.com/love
Other ways to get involved include purchasing festival tickets early, becoming sponsors or community partners, sharing the campaign online, and encouraging friends and family to get involved.
The campaign will culminate during the Twin Cities Irish Fest Block Party on June 27, details below.
Twin Cities Irish Fest Block Party
Saturday, June 27, 2026 from 3:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Prior Ave. North between Pennock Ave. & Hewitt Ave.
Tickets: FREE
Link: https://www.twincitiesirishfest.com/block-party
A free, family-friendly event featuring local bands including the The Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band, The Center for Irish Music, and The Northerly Gales, and The Gunn Slingers, with performances by local Irish dance schools, food trucks, and an exclusive reveal of Baarry the mascot’s new look.
