The Minnesota Star Tribune and Galleria Edina present

Event calendar

Oct. 24, 3–7 p.m.: Cornbread Harris and Band,

Oct. 24: Calendar Saturdays: Vintage First Avenue Calendar Giveaways

Oct. 25: Spotlight Education Performance

Oct. 30, 3–7 p.m.: Andrea Swensson Book Signing, with DJ Lori Barbero

Oct. 31: Calendar Saturdays: Vintage First Avenue Calendar Giveaways

Minnesota Music Archive Galleria Pop-Up Happy Hour Series Oct. 22-30 Join the Minnesota Music Archive and DEMO for a series of happy hour programs celebrating the artists, recordings, stories, and communities that have shaped Minnesota music. Beverages will be available for purchase from CRAVE American Kitchen & Sushi Bar during each event.

Before or after each program, guests are encouraged to explore the Minnesota Music Archive exhibition, featuring interactive listening stations, rare recordings, historic artifacts, archival films and stories spanning more than a century of Minnesota music.

Saturday, Oct. 24 Cornbread Harris with Special Guest Yazmin Bowers Music starts at 3 p.m. Few artists represent the living history of Minnesota music like Cornbread Harris. A pianist, songwriter, and storyteller, Harris serves as a direct link to musical traditions and communities that are quickly disappearing from living memory. His influence can be heard across generations of Minnesota artists and extends directly into the roots of what would become known worldwide as the Minneapolis Sound.

Joined by special guest Yazmin Bowers, this special appearance offers an opportunity to experience one of Minnesota's most important cultural voices in an intimate setting while exploring the stories preserved through the Minnesota Music Archive.

Sunday, Oct. 25 Spotlight Education Performance 1:30 to 2 p.m. Enjoy a performance by Edina high schools students from the Spotlight Education program.

Thursday, Oct. 29 Charlie Parr Day Music starts at 5 p.m. Celebrate acclaimed Minnesota songwriter Charlie Parr, whose deeply personal blend of folk, blues, and roots music has made him one of the state's most respected contemporary artists. From his southern Minnesota roots to his longtime connection with Duluth, Parr's music reflects the people, places, and traditions that define Minnesota.

The program will feature curated DJ selections highlighting Parr's recordings and musical influences, along with giveaways including tickets to his upcoming performance at the historic State Theatre and copies of his latest release. Visitors can also explore recordings and archival materials that place Parr within Minnesota's rich tradition of independent musicians and storytellers.

Friday, Oct. 30 Lori Barbero & Andrea Swensson at the Minnesota Music Archive Presented in Conjunction with the Husker Dü Exhibition from the University of Minnesota Performing Arts Archive Event starts at 4 p.m. Join us for a special program celebrating Minnesota's independent music legacy with two of its most important contemporary voices. The event features a performance by Lori Barbero, the acclaimed musician, songwriter, and founding member of Babes in Toyland whose work helped define the Twin Cities' independent music scene and contributed to Minnesota's lasting influence on alternative and independent music.

Author, broadcaster, and music historian Andrea Swensson will be on hand for a book signing and discussion of her work documenting and preserving Minnesota music history. Books focusing on Cornbread Harris, Minnesota music history, and other featured artists will be available throughout the program.

Presented alongside the Minnesota Music Archive's Husker Dü Exhibition, this special happy hour explores how artists, writers, historians, journalists, archivists, and fans each play a role in preserving cultural memory. Through recordings, photographs, books, posters, articles, and personal collections, the exhibition traces how Minnesota artists have shaped local culture while influencing musicians and audiences around the world.

Before or after the program, guests are encouraged to explore the Minnesota Music Archive exhibition, featuring interactive listening stations, rare recordings, historic artifacts, archival films, and stories spanning more than a century of Minnesota music.

About DEMO and the Minnesota Music Archive

The Diverse Emerging Music Organization (DEMO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by legendary First Avenue manager Steve McClellan. DEMO promotes and preserves Minnesota’s independent music legacy while championing its future.

At the heart of its mission is the Minnesota Music Archive (MMA), a shared cultural memory in the form of a digital repository dedicated to preserving Minnesota’s recorded music heritage. The archive focuses on released recordings by Minnesota musicians across all genres, generations, and geographies, recognizing these recordings as vital cultural artifacts that document the artistic, social and creative history of the state.

Learn more