Free events in South Minneapolis, MN

Every Friday brings free live music to Buck ’54 Bar & Grill as part of a weekly series featuring local singers, songwriters, and musicians. Arrive early to enjoy the bar and grill’s food and beverages. In spring, summer, and fall, performances take place outside with views of Buck Hill’s rolling green hills and sunset backdrops, and they move indoors during the winter months. Buck ’54 Bar & Grill is in the Buck Hill resort village on the second floor of the Buck Hill Snow Sports Center building. The series was voted Best Live Music in Burnsville by The Sun This Week.

Children’s Minnesota offers free car seat checkups to help families keep kids safe on the road. Certified technicians will review your car seat and provide guidance to ensure proper installation and fit. This event is held at Richfield Fire Station No. 1. Registration is requested. For details or to sign up, call 612-813-6053 or email carseats@childrensmn.org.

Honor disability joy and community at a Disability Pride festival in the parking lot at Arc's Value Village in Richfield. The event shines a light on businesses and organizations owned by people with disabilities and offers a welcoming space to connect. Attendees can expect tasty bites, live entertainment, hands-on crafts, immersive art displays, face painting stations, and more. Admission is free.

Enjoy a free concert by the First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, a Minnesota-based concert band that has been performing since 1970. The show takes place in the Centennial Lakes Park Maetzold Amphitheater at 7:00 PM, and you’re welcome to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to enjoy the music from the lawn. Picnics are allowed (no alcohol), and popcorn, ice cream, and beverages will be available for sale.

A free, all-ages event will be held at Donaldson Park. There is no charge to attend.

Enjoy a free kids concert in the park at the Richfield Bandshell as Entertainment in the Parks presents Will Hale and the Tadpole Parade. Children take the spotlight in this interactive show, encouraged to clap, dance, and sing along. The performance features festive drums, guitar, mandolin, and harmonica, plus spirited air guitar jam sessions with the kids, creating an upbeat setting with lots of participation and excitement. Will Hale has entertained thousands of children each year as a full-time kids musician since 1990, engaging young audiences through hands-on experiences that support useful life skills. He regularly brings lively concerts to families in settings such as schools, parks programs, concert series, festivals, libraries, community events, and private celebrations. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for comfortable seating and enjoy a relaxed outdoor atmosphere.

Enjoy a free, family-friendly concert with Todd’n’Tina, a Minnesota-based music duo known for fun, goofy, and playful songs for kids and young-at-heart audiences. This is part of the Centennial Lakes Park Youth Entertainment Series, with concerts held at 10:00 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Maetzold Amphitheater. Seating is tiered, and you can bring a blanket or lawn chair to relax on the lawn. Picnics are welcome, and there’s no alcohol allowed. Free parking is available near Hughes Pavilion and also across from the amphitheater in the Centennial Lakes Office Park on West 76th Street.

Settle in for a no-cost evening of live music under the open sky with Frankie Torres. Raised in Minnetonka, she draws on classic rock and blues, having started performing in bars at just 8 years old. Her resume includes appearances at Summerfest in Milwaukee and Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, and she competed on Season 26 of NBC’s The Voice in 2024. Expect a blend of favorite covers and original songs she began releasing in 2020, available to stream on all platforms. The setting is easygoing with plenty of musical variety. California Dip & Eat will be on site serving American Tex/Mex options such as street, walking, and birria tacos along with quesadillas and nachos. For comfort, attendees can bring lawn chairs or blankets.

A free evening of live music and local food trucks marks the third year of the SOTV Food Truck Fest and outdoor concert at Shepherd of the Valley. The lineup includes The Jolly Pops along with M.T. Pockets & Loose Change. A variety of local food trucks will offer meals and beverages for purchase directly from each vendor. Outside picnics and nonalcoholic drinks are allowed, and complimentary water will be available. Alongside the music, there will be games and activities for children, and personal activities may be brought. Parking is available in the North lot, with limited spaces in the South lot, and overflow parking at Falcon Ridge Middle School across McAndrews Road.

Bloomington Civic Plaza becomes home to Midweek Music & Market with live music, market vendors, games, and a karaoke twist. Step up for live band karaoke with a full band behind the vocals, featuring singalong favorites from the 90s and 2000s across alternative, pop, and pop punk. The event is free and welcoming to all ages. Food and drink options include beer from Northstar Tavern along with KCM Eggrolls, Taqueria el Patron, Philicious Phillys, 612 Teppanyaki, Muddy Tiger, and Hometown Creamery. Blankets and lawn chairs are welcome for comfortable lawn seating, and there is plenty to explore between songs.

Join the Youth Entertainment Series for a free youth concert at the Maetzold Amphitheater. The event runs at 10:00 AM, and you’re welcome to bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on the lawn. Picnics are allowed, and there is no alcohol permitted.

Burnsville (Thursday) Farmers' Market features a 2026 vendor roster shaped by seasonal availability and subject to updates. Vendors include Susan's Raw Honey Farm LLC, Bisek Bees Bakery, Laila's Pizza, Eggroll Queen, Great Harvest, Bueling Enterprises, Aspen Ridge Honey, North Country Farm, Kettle Heads, Lorence's Berry Farm, Nutri-Harvest Farms, Ruhland Strudel Haus, Yang's Produce, Ray Sell Produce, Boua Sao Thao Produce, Der Thao Perduce, Utecht's Homegrown Pork, Boon Yang Vang Produce, Hmong Handicrafts Produce, Mai Vang Produce, Home-Grown Vegetables, Lor Yang Produce, Y and Y Produce, Judy Yang Fresh Vegetables, Mai's Garden, MCL Greenhouse & Farm LLC, Teng Yang Produce, Dave Nelson Greenhouse, Novak's Orchard, Pflaum Farms, and Jerry Xiong- Produce and Flowers. Look for a wide range of offerings such as honey, bakery items, pizza, eggrolls, berries, fresh vegetables, pork, flowers, greenhouse and orchard goods, and handcrafted pieces.

Now in its 23rd year at Mall of America, the SMSC Wacipi exhibition brings the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s traditions to the Huntington Bank Rotunda with two opportunities to preview the celebration. The four-story space becomes a temporary arena for dance and drum, sharing Native American culture before the full SMSC Wacipi in Shakopee. All are welcome, and admission is free.