Kick off summer with these big-time, can’t-miss festivals

Ahh, summer. It’s the time of year when there seems to be a festival every weekend and your social calendar goes from ho-hum to “Let’s get it!” Every suburb has its festival that pays homage to everything from frontier settlers to the community, but the bigger festivals draw crowds from across the state for the more notable music acts, range of activities and enough food to make you loosen your belt.

New this year on the festival scene is the Native American Food Truck Festival, hosted by Trickster Tacos, Blue Hummingbird Woman gift shop and Niniijaanis One of Ones. Trickster Tacos owner Mariah Grant said: “This will be more niche to highlight Native-owned and co-owned businesses with the festival of 20 food entrepreneurs.”

Something else that is new is that it’s the starting point for the 2025 Hemmings Great Race with the Back to the 50s Weekend. The Great Race is “an antique, vintage, and collector car competitive controlled-speed endurance road rally on public highways” that travels from Minnesota to South Carolina.

So, whether the attraction is cars, food or music, here’s a look at some of what the bigger summer festivals have to offer:

Aquatennial: Minneapolis’ ode to all things aquatic surrounds the Mississippi with the Twin Cities River Rats Water Ski Show, the Torchlight Parade, movie night, vintage market, AquaJam and fireworks. (11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. July 23; 7-9 p.m. July 24; 6-9 p.m. July 25; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. July 26. Free. Various locations. aquatennial.com)

Back to the 50s Weekend: Over the three-day event, view thousands of custom, classic, street rods and restored vehicles from 1964 and older. It also features a Kids World, Cruise-N-Arts Craft Fair, military salute flyover and music. (8 a.m.-10 p.m. June 20-21; 6 a.m.-3 p.m. June 22. $15, ages 15 and under free. Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 N. Snelling Av., Falcon Heights. msrabacktothe50s.com)

Minnesota State Fair: Easily the largest event of the summer, the 12-day fair attracts over a million people for 4-H demonstrations, carnival attractions, animal judging and the fan favorite — foods on a stick. Some of the acts playing the grandstand this year include Old Dominion, Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls, Def Leppard, Meghan Trainor and Hank Williams Jr. and Marty Stuart. Over at the bandshell, nightly free shows include Los Lobos, Arrested Development, Rachel Platten and Ber. (Aug. 21-Sept. 1. $17, additional ticket fees for grandstand concerts. Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 N. Snelling Av., Falcon Heights.)

Twin Cities Pride: Minnesota’s second-largest festival will hold live entertainment on three stages — Stonewall, Power to the People and Rainbow — and feature 650 vendors. Attendees can also connect with LGBTQ community resources, artists and businesses. (10 a.m.-7 p.m. June 28; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 29. Free. Loring Park, 1382 Willow St., Mpls. tcpride.org)

Lake Street Roots, Rock and Deep Blues: The soulful music and arts festival returns to its block party format. It will include performances by Cedrick Burnside, Dig Deep, Cornbread Harris and the Flood Brothers across eight stages. There also will be live art demonstrations, an art fair and food trucks, and Metro Transit rides will be free. (2-11:30 p.m. June 7. $40-$60. The Hook and Ladder, 3010 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls. thehookmpls.com)

Lake Waconia Band Festival: A “bands only” parade competition at the 26th annual fest will feature performances by the Owatonna High School Marching Band, Richfield High School Marching Spartans, Alexandria Marching Band and others. (6 p.m. June 21. Free. Main Street, Waconia. waconiabands.com)

Lakefront Music Festival: The two-night festival draws classic rock fans the first day and country the next. Headliners this year are Foreigner and Miranda Lambert. Other acts include 38 Special, Randy Houser, Loverboy and Dillon Carmichael. (5 p.m. July 11-12. $85-$115. Lakefront Park, 5000 Kop Pkwy., Prior Lake. lakefrontmusicfest.com)

Minnesota Festival of Jazz on the Prairie: The outdoor, daylong concert features seven local jazz big bands. (Noon-7 p.m. June 8. Free. Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie. epcommunityband.com)

Bayfront Reggae & World Festival: Feel some island vibes in Duluth with musical acts Woodblind, Keynatta Hill with Culture, Timaya, Romain Virgo and Charly Black. The festival is in its 19th annual run. (3 p.m. July 19. $41.84-$85, Bayfront Festival Park, 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth. www.bayfrontworldmusic.com)

Twin Cities Jazz Fest: Not only is this groovy weekend free, but festivalgoers can also get a free Metro Transit ride pass to beat the traffic and parking woes. Although the main festival is in Mears Park, venues like Berlin and Crooners Supper Club are participating and cover charges may apply. Acts include Emmet Cohen Trio with special guests the Four Freshmen, Selby Avenue Brass Band with Thomasina Petrus, Catherine Russell and Sean Mason and Swinging Motown. (4-8:30 p.m. June 20; noon-8:30 p.m. June 21. Free. Mears Park, St. Paul. twincitiesjazzfestival.com)

City on a Hill Music Festival: Musicians in the lineup for the 10th anniversary of the faith-based music festival include Jeremy Camp, Matthew West, the Scally Brothers and Adelaide. (2:30 p.m. Aug. 1-2. $45-$80. Bayfront Festival Park, 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth. cityonthehillmusicfest.com)

Bayfront Blues Festival: In its 36th year, the outdoor bash’s roster includes John Nemeth, Ana Popovic, Tommy Castro and the Pain Killers, Dwayne Dopsie and Sugaray Rayford. (11 a.m. Aug. 8-10. $65-$169. Bayfront Festival Park, 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth. bayfrontblues.com)

Carifest: Giving tropical island vibes with a side of historical Caribbean culture, this zesty festival is far from dull with its colorful costumes, food dishes and entertainment. (Hours TBA. July 26. Along the banks of the Mississippi River between Plymouth and Broadway Avs. Mpls. carifest.org)

Hmong International Freedom Festival: It’s the 50th year for the fest, which began when the first Hmong settlers sought to connect with their new home after being forced to leave war-torn Laos. The event highlights the Southeast Asian culture through sports tournaments, arts, dance performances, beer garden ($5) and food. (8 a.m.-8 p.m. June 28-29. Free. McMurray Fields, 1151 W. Jessamine Av., St. Paul. theunitedhmongfamily.org/hiff)

Hmong 50 Festival: Another festival commemorating the Hmong migration to the U.S. is cohosted by the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent. The outdoor festival pays homage to the culture through art exhibits, food, music and a fashion show. (11 a.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 23; noon-6 p.m. Aug. 24. Free. Minnesota State Capitol, 5 Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul. facebook.com)

Indiafest: A celebration of India’s Independence Day (Aug. 15) invites participants to “Experience India in a Day.” Booths showcase nonprofit organizations, food and bazaar vendors. A cultural stage features dances by community groups and professional schools. The day ends with Bollywood Night, featuring an open dance floor and DJ. (11 a.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 16. Free. Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St Paul. iamn.org)

Irish Fair of Minnesota: The cultural three-day affair celebrating all things Irish includes pub tents, whiskey tastings and pairings, hurling and camogie demonstrations; a marketplace featuring items from artisans and food vendors; and six stages catering to Celtic music and dance. (3-11 p.m. Aug. 8; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 9; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Aug. 10. $15-$25, ages 12 and under free. Harriet Island Regional Park, 175 W. Water St., St. Paul. irishfair.com)

International Festival of Burnsville: It begins with a parade of flags before moving on to Irish, Latin American, Caribbean and African dances and music. Taste a variety of foods and beverages from around the world through the evening. “How Art Speaks to Us” explores connections to cultural values and traditions through two-dimensional art in a variety of media. A kids’ village will feature cultural activities. (3-9 p.m. July 19. Free. Nicollet Commons Park, 12550 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville. intlfestburnsville.org)

Little Africa Festival: A parade with participants in traditional attire is followed by music and dance performances, food and artists. (Noon-9 p.m. Aug. 3. Hamline Park, 1564 Lafond Av., St. Paul. littleafricafest.com)

Anoka Food Truck Festival: For the eighth year in a row, the mobile food festival takes over downtown Anoka for an assortment of sweet and savory delights ranging from the traditional to the unexpected. Family activities and entertainment also are on tap. (11 a.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 16. Free entry, food costs will vary. Downtown Anoka on Jackson St. & 2nd Av. mnfoodtruckfestival.com)

Asian Street Food Night Market: Savor dishes from across Asia in an ornately decorated event. Shop from vendors and delight in the talent showcase from dancers to drummers. There are activities for the kiddies, as well. New this year is a lantern-themed celebration on the first night, honoring 50 years of Southeast Asian heritage. (3-11 p.m. June 14; 1-10 p.m. June 15. Free. 425 Rice St., St. Paul. asianstreetfood.org)

Food Truck Extravaganza: On June 14, instead of stalking the metro area’s food truck social media to find them, grab your friends to share bites from dozens of food trucks at one address. Chomp down on sweets, barbecue and global fare from trucks like Eggroll Queen, Sambusa Samosa, Thai Boat 89, Roxy’s Waffles and Purple People Feeder. The event also features kids’ activities, a beer garden and music. (11 a.m.-8 p.m. June 14. Free entry, food costs vary. Washington County Fairgrounds, 12300 North 40th St., Stillwater. greaterstillwaterchamber.com)

Hopkins Food Truck Festival: More than 50 food trucks will roll into the suburb with everything from pork belly to papaya salad to mini doughnuts. Craft beers, spiked ciders and nonalcoholic drinks will be available. The Minnesota Lottery stage will feature local artists and there will be games and giveaways for all ages. (11-9 p.m. June 21. Free entry, food costs will vary. Mainstreet between 11th Av. N. & 8th Av. S., Hopkins. mnfoodtruckfestival.com)

Native American Food Truck Festival: Get a taste of traditional Indigenous fare along with fusion flavors from Trickster Tacos, Frybread Factory, Wanna Wotapi and Wacky Wing Wagon, among others. The fest also will feature performances by Danza and poets, Big Auntie Energy comedy show and Ain Dah Yung Pow Wow dancers. (11 a.m.-7 p.m. July 5. Free entry, food costs vary. Harriet Island Regional Park, 175 W. Water St., St. Paul. facebook.com)

The Great Midwest Rib Fest: File this one onto your calendar if you are about ribs — whether they are the Chicago, Aussie or Texas way. Pitmasters from across the country put their smoked and grilled goods up to the test to win over $19,000 in cash. You also can watch competitors attempt to break the world record of 13.76 pounds of meat in 12 minutes during the rib-eating contest. The fest is hog heaven not only for barbecue feasters but also music lovers. The headliners this year are Sawyer Brown, Blues Traveler and Hanson. (4-10 p.m. July 24-25; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. July 26. Free entry, food costs vary. Mystic Lake, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake. mysticlake.com)