For more than 150 years, the area now known as “Midtown” in Minneapolis, has been a gateway to Minnesota, and sometimes, the USA, for people arriving and resettling from around the world”“Asia, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. Indigenous people from seven Nations also reside in Midtown making it the cultural crossroads of the Twin Cities.
Aiding in that continued celebration and preservation of Midtown Minneapolis”'s cultural heritage is the Midtown Global Market (MGM), on the border between the Powderhorn and Phillips Communities. The Market provides a venue for these many cultural groups to observe their unique, individual roots and celebrate their legacy through music, food, and shared experiences while adding to rich vitality, history and strong community spirit of the area.
MGM is a perfect representation of the surrounding area and shares in the desire to deliver opportunity to all cultural communities with more than 40 vendors from around the world under one roof. In addition to serving as an incubator for fledgling small businesses and restaurants, MGM aims to provide an under-served community with free public access to the arts and has done so with over 1,600 free arts-based events. Throughout the year, MGM regularly offers live music, dance performances, cooking classes, children”'s crafts, art exhibits and holiday celebrations from its vendors”' native cultures.
Four years ago, MGM sought to combine this array of cultural experiences into a free, one-day event and the Midtown Global Music Festival was born. This year, the festival will take place from 2-8 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, both inside MGM”'s central plaza and outside in the western parking lot.
The festival will feature three separate stages with performers as varied as Midtown”'s cultural makeup and reflect the richly diverse heritage of its surrounding population. The day will begin with Native American drumming outside, followed by Chinese dancers on the Indoor Stage. From there, performances will range from Ecuadorian pan flutes, Aztec dancers, American country music, West African drumming and dancing, a jazz duo, belly dancing, American folk music and, to cap it all off, the night will end with some big-band salsa.
As part of its mission to maintain strong community ties, many of these Midtown Music Festival acts will be performed by local artists. In addition to these on-stage performances, the music festival will offer interactive activities with the Backyard Initiative CHAT groups, activities and crafts for kids and, of course, access to its multicultural shops and restaurants.
More than 9,000 people attended last year”'s festival and this year promises to be even better. With such a diverse collection of performers and an even more varied audience, Midtown Global Market is truly offering its visitors an opportunity to see where cultures meet in Minneapolis. With just a few hours on a single day, any pre-existing perceptions can be replaced with a sense of inclusiveness, engagement and understanding regarding the populations that make up the great Midtown community.
Music Lineup
Main Outdoor Stage
2:00-2:30 Hoka Hey Singers (Native American Drumming)
3:00-3:45 Brian Nielsen band, featuring Blues singer, Barbara LeShoure
4:30-5:30 2/3rds MN (Country)
6:00-6:30 Rene Thompson (Salsa Dance Lessons)
6:30-8:00 Q-band (Salsa)
Elliot Avenue Outdoor Stage
2:30-3:00 Kalpulli Ketzalcoatlicue (Aztec Dancers)
4:00-4:30 Duniya Drum and Dance (W. African Drummers)
5:30-6:00 Jawaahir Dancers (Belly Dancers)
Indoor Stage
2:00-2:30 Chinese Dancers
2:30-3:00 Zumba Dance Lessons
3:00-4:00 Charmin Michelle/Joel Shapira (Jazz)
4:00-5:00 Ross Sutter (Scandinavian Folk)
5:00-6:00 Michael Johnson (American Pop and Folk)
NOTE: Acts and time subject to change
Learn more about the BYI!!!
3 to 5 pm, INSIDE, near the BYI Resource CenterÂ
Interactive displays and activities led by BYI CHAT teams such as:
Learn about self-sufficiency through Solar Lantern Making with members of Communities of Light-Rebirthing Community CHAT
Zumba from 2:30 to 3:00 pm on the Indoor Stage with members of the Out In The Backyard CHAT and Bernice Arias.
Learn from your neighbors about managing your diabetes through diet, support and cultural connection from A Partnership of Diabetics CHAT (A-POD)!
Meet members of the Growing the Backyard CHAT and sample some of their amazing vegetables!
