UP NEXT at The Cedar
Calling all lovers of the West Bank and The Cedar to come help us paint the mural with our artists and community members! This event will feature complimentary refreshments and music by local all-vinyl DJ’s Douala Soul Collective!
Estuary is a collaboration led by percussionist Zack Baltich, with Ritika Ganguly (voice), Ilan Blanck (guitar), Cam Fassett (violin), and Maggie Fae (stage design/projections). A reference to the point where the tidal mouth of a large river meets other water, Estuary is a meeting of genre, ideas, language, personality, and textures to find new ways of musical expression. The Cedar is honored to host this very special release show made up of several former Cedar Commissions artists!
Are you an early-career musical artist based in Minnesota? Apply to The Cedar Commissions, our flagship program for commissioning local emerging artists to write brand new music! This workshop will go through application basics, as well as tips for drafting your strongest application - Cedar staff will lead the workshop and are available for questions after.
On June 22, 2024, join us for a public sharing of improvisation drawing from Blackness in music, storytelling, visual art, and dance - experience "an experiment" with us in partnership with Leslie Parker Dance Project, The Cedar, Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and Northrop. Performers include: Participants of Black Dance Improvisation Intensive & Music Collaborative with Michael Wimberly, Farai Malianga, Dameun Strange, and DeCarlo Jackson
Have you ever wanted to peek behind the scenes at the Cedar? Learn more about how to participate at our venue by attending our monthly Volunteer Orientation led by volunteer coordinator Jared Hemming!
Come together on June 28th to celebrate our TwinCities, our talent, and all our gifts with a show like you’ve never seen before - The Sounds of Summer Variety Showcase! The show is the culmination of the Sounds of Summer-Making The Band week-long music camp featuring the debut performances of the youth participants alongside a curated setlist of local emerging and established performers of all ages. Plus, an open mic portion for the audience at the end.
Come join us as we celebrate the talent that shines throughout our Cities. This event is grant funded, free, and open to all.
RECENTLY ANNOUNCED
NYT-bestselling author, linguist and podcaster AMANDA MONTELL brings a night of nerdy, witchy deviance featuring Kate Kennedy, Rara Darling, Theydy Bedbug, and more to The Cedar stage!
This evening features a rare summer version of the beloved annual Drone Not Drones festival, a benefit for Doctors Without Borders, which is part benefit concert, part art project, part community event. Full lineup of local artists to be revealed in the coming weeks. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
This evening features the Juno award-winning artist Wesli sharing Haitian Vodou and Rara music with Twoubadou's roots, Afrobeat, and reggae. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
Join us for Summer at The Cedar: a free Tuesday night concert series outdoors on the Cedar Plaza featuring both international and local artists! This evening features Elephant Sessions with their unique mix of Indie-folk and electronica from the Highlands of Scotland. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
This evening features French-Algerian, Chilean hip-hop outfit, Sidi Wacho with their singular sound, blending cumbia, reggaeton, and Arabic electronic music. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
In 1971, a young schoolteacher named Linda Hill was visiting her parents in South Carolina, when she met a musician named Robin Williams. She was a singer and played guitar. He was a regular on the coffeehouse circuit. The two hit it off immediately. Two years later, they were married and touring the country in a VW Bug.
They’ve been on the road ever since.
“…Among contemporary country performers, Robin and Linda Williams shine like a diamond amid rhinestones …” - The Boston Globe
CALENDAR
Calling all lovers of the West Bank and The Cedar to come help us paint the mural with our artists and community members! This event will feature complimentary refreshments and music by local all-vinyl DJ’s Douala Soul Collective!
Estuary is a collaboration led by percussionist Zack Baltich, with Ritika Ganguly (voice), Ilan Blanck (guitar), Cam Fassett (violin), and Maggie Fae (stage design/projections). A reference to the point where the tidal mouth of a large river meets other water, Estuary is a meeting of genre, ideas, language, personality, and textures to find new ways of musical expression. The Cedar is honored to host this very special release show made up of several former Cedar Commissions artists!
Are you an early-career musical artist based in Minnesota? Apply to The Cedar Commissions, our flagship program for commissioning local emerging artists to write brand new music! This workshop will go through application basics, as well as tips for drafting your strongest application - Cedar staff will lead the workshop and are available for questions after.
On June 22, 2024, join us for a public sharing of improvisation drawing from Blackness in music, storytelling, visual art, and dance - experience "an experiment" with us in partnership with Leslie Parker Dance Project, The Cedar, Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and Northrop. Performers include: Participants of Black Dance Improvisation Intensive & Music Collaborative with Michael Wimberly, Farai Malianga, Dameun Strange, and DeCarlo Jackson
Have you ever wanted to peek behind the scenes at the Cedar? Learn more about how to participate at our venue by attending our monthly Volunteer Orientation led by volunteer coordinator Jared Hemming!
Come together on June 28th to celebrate our TwinCities, our talent, and all our gifts with a show like you’ve never seen before - The Sounds of Summer Variety Showcase! The show is the culmination of the Sounds of Summer-Making The Band week-long music camp featuring the debut performances of the youth participants alongside a curated setlist of local emerging and established performers of all ages. Plus, an open mic portion for the audience at the end.
Come join us as we celebrate the talent that shines throughout our Cities. This event is grant funded, free, and open to all.
Shaking off the plague days like a snake sheds its skin, the WACO BROTHERS stumble out of the empty, burning desert with a fierce thirst and an epic new album: The Men That God Forgot, their first collection of original tunes since 2016. "It's the mission of the Waco Brothers — a Chicago-based outfit that Jon Langford started in the mid-90s — to bring blood, sweat, and tears back into country music.…" - KenTucker, NPR
Summer at The Cedar's July 30th show features AL·TER·NA·TIVE: FRANK BUFFALO HYDE and Friends with Willow, groups led by local Indigenous artists that draw on folk, blues, and soul traditions. We will be celebrating AL·TER·NA·TIVE, Frank's solo exhibition with All My Relations Arts, coming to a successful close. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
NYT-bestselling author, linguist and podcaster AMANDA MONTELL brings a night of nerdy, witchy deviance featuring Kate Kennedy, Rara Darling, Theydy Bedbug, and more to The Cedar stage!
This evening features a rare summer version of the beloved annual Drone Not Drones festival, a benefit for Doctors Without Borders, which is part benefit concert, part art project, part community event. Full lineup of local artists to be revealed in the coming weeks. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
Get ready for a unique brand of hype as DG the Artist, the competitive-Rubik's-Cube-solver-turned-rapper, takes the stage to deliver a high-energy experience that will leave the crowd buzzing with excitement. Performing all his greatest tracks from his discography - from laidback introspective cuts like "Storms At Night" to energetic bangers like "SKATE" - as well as some exclusive early-listens of some yet-to-be-released tracks, DG's first show in the great city of Minneapolis is set to be an unforgettable experience!
Celebrating a new release and her first Cedar headline show, ROSIE graces our stage with her gorgeous songs full of intentional lyrics and melodies. We promise you will leave rosie’s performance inspired and full of love.
With her always expanding and singular mix of hip hop, female empowerment, dancehall, and catchy beats, singer, flautist, and percussionist Yaite Ramos Rodriguez, aka LA DAME BLANCHE, delivers a powerful and compelling sound that summons the spirits.
We are HUGE fans of LDB and already counting the days to this hot summer Friday night! Be prepared to dance!
This evening features the Juno award-winning artist Wesli sharing Haitian Vodou and Rara music with Twoubadou's roots, Afrobeat, and reggae. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
Spend an evening with Willow Waters & The Earth Tones (ft. JT Bates, Maddie Thies, Mikey Marget, Arianna Wegley, and Anna Dolde) as they perform the music from their new record I RISE, I FALL. Centered around Willow's delicate and expressive piano compositions and improvisations, this record explores new and familiar themes of love and longing, the body-mind-spirit and its relation to the more-than-human world, self-reflection and a search for meaning. The night will open up with gorgeous soundscapes from BHH (ft. Jake Baldwin, Zac Harris, and Pete Hennig). Don't miss out on this one of a kind performance!
Secret Number is embarking on their first ever US tour - making their debut appearance at The Cedar on Sunday, July 28th!
Secret Number is a 6-member K-Pop girl group under VINE Entertainment. Join members Léa, Dita, Jinny, Soodam, Minji, and Zuu as they take to the stage across the US!
Join us for Summer at The Cedar: a free Tuesday night concert series outdoors on the Cedar Plaza featuring both international and local artists! This evening features the funky, dance grooves of Flamingo Pier from Aotearoa (New Zealand). Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
SistaStrings recently made waves during the 66th annual Grammy Awards. They accompanied the legendary Joni Mitchell who took the stage to perform “Both Sides Now,” the New York Times described the moment as “a brief, magical visitation from a musical deity.”
SistaStrings, the musical duo comprising sisters Chauntee and Monique Ross, create power and sonic majesty every time they bring their unique blend of classical training, soulful melodies, and contemporary sounds to the stage.
Celebrating the new release of All About the Bones, Chris Smither returns to The Cedar to help celebrate our 35th anniversary and his many incredible performances here throughout the years.
“Smither is an American original – a product of the musical melting pot and one of the absolute best singer-songwriters in the world.” - Associated Press.
Last seen here in 2018, the Grammy award winning collective of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali and pioneers of desert blues - TINARWEN returns to The Cedar stage in celebration of our 35th Anniversary and the release of their ninth studio album, Amatssou.
Join us for Summer at The Cedar: a free Tuesday night concert series outdoors on the Cedar Plaza featuring both international and local artists! This evening features Elephant Sessions with their unique mix of Indie-folk and electronica from the Highlands of Scotland. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
The culmination of a week of Pan Camp 2024 culminates in an incredible day with two performances at The Cedar featuring world-renowned pannist Liam Teague and harpist Faye Seeman, aka The Pangelic Duo!
The culmination of a week of Pan Camp 2024 culminates in an incredible day with two performances at The Cedar featuring world-renowned pannist Liam Teague and harpist Faye Seeman, aka The Pangelic Duo!
This evening features French-Algerian, Chilean hip-hop outfit, Sidi Wacho with their singular sound, blending cumbia, reggaeton, and Arabic electronic music. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
Celebrating the book release of "Deeper Blues" we are totally honored to be hosting living Minnesota legend, beloved blues musician and self-proclaimed "blessed dude", Cornbread Harris as he plays and shares tales with author, Andrea Swensson.
This Friday night will feature stories of history and hope, reconciliation and forgiveness with lots of laughter and MUSIC! Cornbread's talented son, Jimmy Jam will join in for the sweet duo of 'Cornbread & Jam'- along with an additional full set of music via Cornbread and Friends.
Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter and former frontman of The Ugly Americans and The Scabs, Bob Schneider is one of the most-celebrated musicians in the live music capital. Combining diverse styles, Schneider’s music spans genres, blending elements of folk, rock, rap, funk, bluegrass, reggae and country with the more traditional singer/songwriter aesthetic. In short, FRUNK.
The Cedar Cultural Center Presents: The Global Get Together!
Our 2nd year presenting at the legendary Fair while celebrating our own 35-year legacy, The Cedar is back with two nights of entertainment at the Minnesota State Fair located at the International Bazaar!
The Cedar Cultural Center Presents: The Global GetTogether!
Our 2nd year presenting at the legendary Fair while celebrating our own 35-year legacy, The Cedar is back with two nights of entertainment at the Minnesota State Fair located at the International Bazaar!
One of our favorite bands from Scotland returns to The Cedar's 35th Anniversary stage! Traditional Celtic music at its best!
"An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new." - New York Times
"Formed from a Paisley pub session in 1968, seminal trailblazers the Tannahill Weavers now also rank as national treasures." - Glasgow Celtic Connections
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore take us To TexiCali and The Cedar is honored to host the ride! The Americana heroes are back with a tour inspired by the name of their upcoming new album...Behind blistering blues licks, TexiCali doubles as a road trip across Grammy winner Dave Alvin and Grammy nominee Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s beloved home states and the memories within, honoring shared musical influences, friends gone too soon, and all they’ve endured along the way.
FREE EVENTS
Calling all lovers of the West Bank and The Cedar to come help us paint the mural with our artists and community members! This event will feature complimentary refreshments and music by local all-vinyl DJ’s Douala Soul Collective!
On June 22, 2024, join us for a public sharing of improvisation drawing from Blackness in music, storytelling, visual art, and dance - experience "an experiment" with us in partnership with Leslie Parker Dance Project, The Cedar, Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and Northrop. Performers include: Participants of Black Dance Improvisation Intensive & Music Collaborative with Michael Wimberly, Farai Malianga, Dameun Strange, and DeCarlo Jackson
Come together on June 28th to celebrate our TwinCities, our talent, and all our gifts with a show like you’ve never seen before - The Sounds of Summer Variety Showcase! The show is the culmination of the Sounds of Summer-Making The Band week-long music camp featuring the debut performances of the youth participants alongside a curated setlist of local emerging and established performers of all ages. Plus, an open mic portion for the audience at the end.
Come join us as we celebrate the talent that shines throughout our Cities. This event is grant funded, free, and open to all.
Summer at The Cedar's July 30th show features AL·TER·NA·TIVE: FRANK BUFFALO HYDE and Friends with Willow, groups led by local Indigenous artists that draw on folk, blues, and soul traditions. We will be celebrating AL·TER·NA·TIVE, Frank's solo exhibition with All My Relations Arts, coming to a successful close. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
This evening features a rare summer version of the beloved annual Drone Not Drones festival, a benefit for Doctors Without Borders, which is part benefit concert, part art project, part community event. Full lineup of local artists to be revealed in the coming weeks. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
This evening features the Juno award-winning artist Wesli sharing Haitian Vodou and Rara music with Twoubadou's roots, Afrobeat, and reggae. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
Join us for Summer at The Cedar: a free Tuesday night concert series outdoors on the Cedar Plaza featuring both international and local artists! This evening features the funky, dance grooves of Flamingo Pier from Aotearoa (New Zealand). Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
Join us for Summer at The Cedar: a free Tuesday night concert series outdoors on the Cedar Plaza featuring both international and local artists! This evening features Elephant Sessions with their unique mix of Indie-folk and electronica from the Highlands of Scotland. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
This evening features French-Algerian, Chilean hip-hop outfit, Sidi Wacho with their singular sound, blending cumbia, reggaeton, and Arabic electronic music. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors and The Cedar, and various community organizations will be tabling.
About The Cedar
The Cedar’s mission is to promote intercultural appreciation and understanding through the presentation of global music and dance. The Cedar is committed to artistic excellence and integrity, diversity of programming, support for emerging artists, and community outreach.
Located in the heart of Cedar Riverside, one of the most prolific neighborhoods for live music in Minneapolis, and the home to the largest Somali diaspora in the U.S., The Cedar plays a key role in maintaining the vibrancy and diversity of the Twin Cities’ arts scene.
Get Involved
As a non-profit organization, volunteers are crucial to keeping the Cedar running. At each event, as many as 20 volunteers perform a variety of tasks such as setting up the theater before shows, selling tickets, serving concessions, staffing the merchandise table, and cleaning up the theater after shows. And they also have a lot of fun!
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NEWS
The Cedar Celebrates 35 Years with a New Mural, Free Plaza Concerts, and a State Fair Party!
This spotlight interview is with Tri Vo. A strong member of the Twin Cities Southeast Asian community, as well as a puppeteer and theater maker, Tri has been leaning heavily into his main passion, music. He spoke with Cedar Commissions program manager, Robert Lehmann, about his Vietnamese punk roots; the shifting scope of his project; and taking up space to be himself in front of a crowd while encouraging audiences to embrace their own messiness. Catch Tri as part of this year’s Cedar Commissions performances on Saturday, February 10th.
This spotlight interview is with RZ Shahid, a multifaceted creative, and skilled hip-hop emcee in the local scene. He spoke with Cedar Commissions program manager, Robert Lehmann, about the inspiration for this work from the uprisings and the following months of community and mutual aid work; his creative projects; and how he’s grown into his artistic voice through this Commissions process. Catch RZ as part of this year’s Cedar Commissions performances on Friday, February 9th.
This spotlight interview is with Sarah Larsson. A well-loved local artist, known for her beautiful folk vocals, deep investment in learning more about folk songs and culture, and for cultivating community spaces. She spoke with Cedar Commissions program manager, Robert Lehmann, about her mixed Jewish roots; making music in community; and the meanings of the poems she used to compose her original Yiddish folk music. Catch Sarah as part of this year’s Cedar Commissions performances on Saturday, February 10th.
Special Activities Planned in 2024 Include 35th Anniversary Concerts, a New Mural by Leslie Barlow and Hibaaq Ibrahim, and Community Collaborations
Whether you are a performer, a patron, a volunteer, a donor, or a neighbor (or a combination of these!), thank you for being part of The Cedar Cultural Center community. You are important to this place.
HELP US MAKE MORE MEMORIES: SUPPORT THE CEDAR
Our audience members and artists make The Cedar what it is: a home for music that values cultural connections, that embraces artists from all over the globe, and welcomes all.
We depend on generous supporters like you to keep global music thriving in the heart of Minneapolis. With your contribution, you can empower local emerging artists as they compose new works and bring 100+ musicians from around the world to our stage each year.