Music and art lovers rejoice: Art-A-Whirl weekend is back Friday, May 16, to Sunday, May 18, for its 30th year. Organized by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA), Art-A-Whirl 2025 will feature more than 1,600 NEMAA member artists, galleries, and businesses across all of northeast Minneapolis at 100-plus locations.

Art-A-Whirl weekend offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to support and engage with your local art scene in outdoor and indoor spaces, with plenty of options for refreshments from local vendors, too.

There’s a lot of music to experience this weekend — from local favorites to acts that need to be on your radar. To help sort it all out, we’ve put together a roundup of live music events happening all over northeast Minneapolis.

331 Club

The historic northeast Minneapolis bar will have a three-day lineup with music from Big Salt, Mary Jam, The Current’s Diane, and more. Bands on Vans will take care of the outdoor performances, and a vintage and makers market will be happening on Saturday and Sunday. Cover: Free

Friday, May 16

8 p.m.: Big Salt (outdoors)

10 p.m.: Uspop

Saturday, May 17

12 p.m.-8 p.m.: Vintage and makers market

6 p.m.: Speed Riders (outdoors)

8 p.m.: Mary Jam (outdoors)

10 p.m.: Socktopus

Sunday, May 18

12 p.m.-6 p.m.: Vintage and makers market

3 p.m.: Jake La Botz & Mikkel

7 p.m.: Diane

9 p.m.: Switchyard

Eastside Food Co-op

The northeast Minneapolis food co-op will be back with their ALL TOGETHER NOW! event on Saturday, May 17, from 12-6 p.m. There will be free music, food from local vendors, art available for purchase, face painting, and more.

Saturday, May 17

12 p.m.: 26 Bats!

1 p.m.: Eleganza!

2:15 p.m.: Greg Grease

3:30 p.m.: bathtub cig

4:45 p.m.: Dr. Mambo’s Combo

Twin Ignition

Twin Ignition Garage will have live music and art on display all weekend, from local legends like Carnage The Executioner, Cornbread Harris, and more. Cover: Free

Friday, May 16

5:30 p.m.: Retrofizz

7:30 p.m.: Carnage The Executioner + DJ Piecemeal Present: THE COLLABORATORY

Saturday, May 17

1 p.m.: Trevor McSpadden

2 p.m.: Native Music Hall of Fame’s Keith Secola

2:45 p.m.: David Huckfelt

3:45 p.m.: Cornbread Harris

6 p.m.: Dan Israel

7 p.m.: Izzy Cruz

Sunday, May 18

12 p.m.: Havana Quartet

12:45 p.m.: Lucy Michelle

2 p.m.: The Nunnery

3:15 p.m.: Eddie & Craig

Elias Metal Studio at the Waterbury Building

Metal Artist Lisa Elias and Potter Oliver Elias are hosting live music, 10 visual artists, and more in celebration of 30 years of Art-A-Whirl. Catch some great live music Friday and Saturday from Chutes, Lighter Co., Creeping Charlie, Fanaka Nation, and many more. Cover: Free

Music Friday, May 16

5:00 p.m.: Emily Rhea

6:00 p.m.: Funk N Spuds

6:45 p.m.: Xelias Airial Arts

7:00 p.m.: Chutes

8:00 p.m.: Lighter Co.

Music Saturday, May 17

11:45 a.m.: Camp Kitten

12:00 p.m.: Xelias Arial Arts

12:15 p.m.: The King James Version

1:15 p.m.: Uncle Katy

2:15 p.m.: Slumber

2:45 p.m.: danser

3:15 p.m.: Xelias Arial Arts

3:30 p.m.: Dad Bod

4:30 p.m.: Purple Funk Metropolis

5:15 p.m.: Xelias Airial Arts

5:30 p.m.: Creeping Charlie

6:30 p.m.: Fanaka Nation

Solar Arts Building – 2nd Floor

On the 2nd floor of the Solar Arts Building, you can see the work of over 40 artists all while enjoying live music. Cover: Free

Friday, May 16

5-6pm: Jun and Liliana

6:30-7:30pm: Why Worry?

8-9pm: Marie Nelson

Saturday, May 17

12-1pm: Jerry Esnough

1:30-2:30pm: Max Rewitzer

3-4pm: Cathy English

4:30-5:30pm: Vittorio & the Bridges

6-7pm: Zoë Says Go

Sunday, May 18

12-1pm: Joe Kemmerling

1:30-2:30pm: Marko Fields

3-4pm: Jeff Kasbaum

Casket Arts Building – 4th floor lounge

Live music in the 4th floor lounge serves as the soundtrack as you explore the studios throughout the Casket Arts campus. Cover: Free

Friday, May 16

6 p.m.: Best Intentions

7:30 p.m.: The Beavers

9 p.m.: Chemistry Set

Saturday, May 17

12:30 p.m.: Patrick Adkins/Alma Engebretson 

2:30 p.m.: Joan Griffith

4:30 p.m.: Joel Shapira

6 p.m.: Chris Lomheim

Kickernick Building – Studio 100

A 3-piece jazz trio will be performing in the Kickernick Gallery on Friday. Cover: Free

Friday, May 16

8 p.m.: Jazz with Greg Schutte, Cody McKinney, and Jeremy Ylvisaker

Pilllar Forum

Local Music & Artisan Zine Tumbling Rock will be presenting MAYHEM FEST at Pilllar Forum on Friday with Anita Velveeta, Slut Intent, Mary Jam, Dry Ice — prepare to rock. Saturday at Pilllar will include an art market with jewelry, glass art, mixed media, and more followed by live music from Squirm, Asparagus, and Family Medicine.

Friday, May 16

Music starts at 6:30 p.m., $15:

Anita Velveeta

Slut Intent

Mary Jam

Dry Ice

Saturday, May 17

A.M. Art Market (10 a.m. - 4 p.m., free)

Music starts at 6:30 p.m., $15 / $17 day of show:

Squirm

Asparagus

Family Medicine

Sociable Cider Werks

There will be plenty of art and live music over at Sociable Cider Werks all weekend long. Catch performances from Northern Hammer, Harlow, Keep for Cheap, Twin Town Band, and more.

Friday, May 16

5 p.m.: Electric Church

7 p.m.: Machinery Hill

8 p.m.: Of the Orchard

9 p.m.: Northern Hammer

Saturday, May 18

3 p.m.: Owen Trelstad and the occasionals

4 p.m.: Rhino Shrine

5 p.m.: Beggars

6 p.m.: Manaias

7:30 p.m.: Harlow

9 p.m.: Keep for Cheap

Sunday, May 18

12 p.m.: SJMS

4 p.m.: Twin Town Band

The Liquid Zoo at Bauhaus Brew Labs

The Liquid Zoo at Bauhaus Brew Labs will deliver an eclectic music lineup featuring heavy hitters like Maria and the Coins, McNasty Brass Band, Thomas Abban and L.A. Buckner as White Boy Summer, and more. Food from local culinary favorites Animales, Caja By Brasa, Parlour, Hopper’s Mini Donuts, and Bridgeman’s Ice Cream will also be available. Cover: Free; All ages (must be 21+ to drink)

Friday, May 16 (3 - 10 p.m.)

5:30 p.m.: Maria and the Coins

7 p.m.: Heavy Metal Brass Band

8:30 p.m.: Viva Knievel

Saturday, May 17 (12 - 10 p.m.)

12 p.m.: The Dalmatian Club

1:30 p.m.: Terrell X and the Unknown Potential

3 p.m.: Faith Boblett: She’s All That

4:30 p.m.: McNasty Brass Band

6 p.m.: TABAH

7:30 p.m.: Vicious Vicious

9 p.m.: White Boy Summer (Thomas Abban and L.A. Buckner)

Sunday, May 18 (12 - 6 p.m.)

Backyard Boombox Dance Party

Whirlygig at Indeed Brewing

There will be no shortage of great live music during Whirlygig at Indeed Brewing. The lineup all weekend is masterfully curated with Minnesota music veterans, including Early Eyes, Juice Lord, Obi Original, Aby Wolf, and more. Whirlygig will have food from Chef Shack, Red Cow, KCM Eggrolls, and other local favorites that can be washed down with their selections of craft beers. Cover: Free; All ages (must be 21+ to drink)

Friday, May 16 (3 p.m. - 11 p.m.)

5:45 p.m.: Gifted Handz

7 p.m.: Barlow

8 p.m.: Thomas Abban

9 p.m.: Early Eyes

Saturday, May 17 (11 a.m. - 11 p.m.)

1:30 p.m.: Palms Psalm

2:30 p.m.: Anita Velveeta

3:30 p.m.: Lighter Co.

4:30 p.m.: Dilly Dally Alley

5:30 p.m.: Juice Lord

6:30 p.m.: Obi Original & the Black Atlantics

7:30 p.m.: Dylan Salfer Band

8:45 p.m.: Black Market Brass

Sunday, May 18 (11 a.m. - 10 p.m.)

12 p.m.: Marvelous

1 p.m.: BAKKWOODDRIFT feat. Solorah

2 p.m.: Clare Doyle

3 p.m.: Salty Dog

4 p.m.: Aby Wolf, Kavyesh Laviraj, LSQ

5 p.m.: Javier Santiago