The iconic and cherished Art-A-Whirl weekend is back Friday, May 17, to Sunday, May 19, for its 29th year. Organized by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA), Art-A-Whirl 2024 will feature more than 1,300 artists, and bring together galleries and businesses for a weekend of community and support for local creatives.

It looks like temperatures will be high, so make sure to bring sunscreen and stay hydrated. Luckily, there will be dozens of food and drink vendors for refreshments to keep you nourished and energized while supporting your local art scene.

With several studios and breweries hosting a whirlwind of events across northeast Minneapolis, we’ve assembled a brief guide to some live music highlights for the weekend. We’re thrilled to see lineups featuring emerging musicians, long-time favorites of The Current, and familiar faces from First Avenue’s Best New Bands roundups over the years.

331 Club

The celebrated northeast Minneapolis bar and hangout is back with an eclectic music lineup featuring All the Pretty Horses, The Current’s Diane, Hastings 3000, and more. The popular and fabulous Bands on Vans returns for outdoor performances, as well as a vintage and makers market on Saturday and Sunday. Cover: Free

Friday, May 17

7 p.m.: Laura & Sean’s Movie and Music Trivia (inside)

8 p.m.: Hastings 3000 (outside)

9 p.m.: Uspop (inside)

Saturday, May 18

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

6 p.m.: All the Pretty Horses (outside)

7 p.m.-9 p.m.: DJ Still Phresh (inside)

8 p.m.: Diane (outside)

10 p.m.: Socktopus (inside)

Sunday, May 19

12 p.m.-7 p.m.: Vintage and makers market

6 p.m.: The Beavers

8 p.m.: Switchyard

Eastside Food Co-op

Celebrate Art-A-Whirl on Saturday, May 18, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. with food and drinks from Eastside’s Deli, Chimborazo, Pizza Karma, Fair State Brewing Cooperative, and MN Nice Cream. Local artists will sell their work, and kiddos can enjoy face painting and balloon animals. Music performances start on the hour and indie folk band The Cactus Blossoms closes out the show. Cover: Free

Saturday, May 18

12 p.m.: Cody Steinmann Trio

1 p.m.: Taylor Ngiri Seaberg

2 p.m.: Christy Costello

3 p.m.: Jack Klatt

4 p.m.: We Are The Willows

5 p.m.: The Cactus Blossoms

Elias Metal Studio at the Waterbury Building

The Lisa Elias Metal Studio hosts free music all day Friday and Saturday. Performances by local favorites include groovy rock group FénixDion, classic-rock-inspired Lighter Co., and Creeping Charlie with their transfixing ‘90s-grunge-inspired sound. Enjoy food trucks and vendors selling pottery, jewelry, vintage clothing, and more. Plus, there will be a community mural painting in the parking lot. Cover: Free

Friday, May 17

5 p.m.: Soulflower

6 p.m.: Yonder

7 p.m.: Colin Bracewell

8 p.m.: Creeping Charlie

Saturday, May 18

12 p.m.: The Rokin’ Socks

12:30 p.m.: The Silverteens

1:30 p.m.: The Mirrors

2:30 p.m.: Uncle Katy

3:30 p.m.: Liza

4 p.m.: Moy Dukksen

4:30 p.m.: Aiden Intro

5:30 p.m.: Purple Funk Metropolis

6:30 p.m.: Fénix Dion

7:30 p.m.: Lighter Co. 

Pilllar Forum

Pilllar Forum is hosting an art, skateboards, and music event during all three days of Art-A-Whirl. Several local artists will showcase their interpretations of the climate change crisis with skateboards as their canvases. Event attendees can bid on their favorite board for a chance to take it home. All proceeds from the auction will go toward Sunrise Movement, an organization dedicated to environmental justice and the Green New Deal. Here is a play-by-play of each day at Pilllar Forum. Cover: Art: Free; Music: $10

Friday, May 17

Silent Art Auction (5 - 10 p.m.)

Music starts at 6:30:

Thirsty Giants

Blood Cookie

Silent Treatment

Saturday, May 18

Silent Art Auction (12 - 8 p.m.)

Music starts at 6:30:

Birth Order

Another Heaven

Din Din

Shrimp Olympics

Sunday, May 19 (12 - 5 p.m.)

Silent Art Auction closes.

Sociable Cider Werks

Northeast is full of breweries with excellent craft beers, but for the non-beer fans, Sociable Cider Werks offers an array of delicious hard ciders, art and vintage clothing vendors, and a fantastic music lineup for Art-A-Whirl weekend. There’s something for everyone, including jazz quintet Rabeca and surf-punk-rock group Black Widows. Bask in the indie folk vibes on Saturday with back-to-back sets from Keep for Cheap (prairie rock) and Harlow (nostalgic folk rock).

Friday, May 17

5 - 6:40 p.m.: Machinery Hill

8 - 8:40 p.m.: Rabeca

9 - 10 p.m.: Black Widows

Saturday, May 18

3 - 3:40 p.m.: Hilltop Pines

4 - 4:30 p.m.: Electric Church

5 - 5:40 p.m.: Manias

6 - 7 p.m.: Keep For Cheap

7:30 - 8:30 p.m.: Harlow

9 - 10 p.m.: Mark Mallman

Sunday, May 19

10:30-11:30 a.m.: Bumblebee Music

12-1 p.m.: Family Rock w/ SJMS

1:15-2:30 p.m.: Youth Rock Bands

3-5 p.m.: Skunk Hollow

The Liquid Zoo at Bauhaus Brew Labs

Bauhaus is hosting the Made By Hands art market and live music at their Liquid Zoo event, featuring Best New Bands veterans L.A. Bucker & BiG HOMiE (jazz, R&B) and Nur-D (hip-hop). Plus food trucks from Parlour, Hopper’s Mini Donuts, and more. Cover: Free; All ages (must be 21+ to drink)

Friday, May 17 (3 - 10 p.m.)

5:30 p.m.: Zaq Baker Team

7 p.m.: Shoeless Revolution

8:30 p.m.: Viva Knievel

Saturday, May 18 (12 - 10 p.m.)

12 p.m.: Buffalo Function Music Band

1:30 p.m.: Jillian Rae

3 p.m.: Thomas Abban

4:30 p.m.: McNasty Brass Band

6 p.m.: L.A. Buckner & BiG HOMiE

7:30 p.m.: Zoo Animal

9 p.m.: NUR-D

Sunday, May 19 (12 - 6 p.m.)

Backyard Boombox Dance Party with back-to-back DJs

Whirlygig at Indeed Brewing

Music at Indeed Brewing is a classic stop for Art-A-Whirl visitors. Enjoy delicious craft beers and food trucks from Revival, Red Cow, and more. With performances running nearly all day, you’ll surely catch some amazing local acts no matter what time you come by, including genre-bending alternative band WHY NOT and LAAMAR, a soul-Americana artist recently featured in First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2023. Cover: Free; All ages (must be 21+ to drink)

Friday, May 17 (3 p.m. - 11 p.m.)

6 p.m.: Lighter Co.
7 p.m.: iLLism
8 p.m.: XINA
9 p.m.: Gully Boys

Saturday, May 18 (11 a.m. - 11 p.m.)

1:30 p.m.: Beemer

2:30 p.m.: Goon Tribune

3:30 p.m.: Derecho Rhythm Section

4:30 p.m.: Carnage, The Executioner

5:30 p.m.: Scrunchies

6:30 p.m.: Why Not

7:30 p.m.: María Isa

8:45 p.m.: Marijuana Deathsquads

Sunday, May 19 (11 a.m. - 10 p.m.)

12 p.m.: Nelson Devereaux

1 p.m.: Molly Maher & Her Disbelievers

2 p.m.: Cornbread Harris

3 p.m.: Dilly Dally Alley

4 p.m.: LAAMAR

5 p.m.: Kevin Washington & RA Spirit