December is a joyous holiday season for all. Though the best music so far has been Christmas music... NOT ANYMORE!! This show will celebrate Hanukkah music! 

“Festive Beats of Afrika” is a 120-minute live concert at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis that celebrates Africa’s vibrant rhythms, unity, and cultural brilliance through music, dance, and storytelling. The show features Carolyne Naomi performing Afrobeat and Holiday fusion songs, Diatoti delivering energetic Congolese music, and Afrocontigbo, a dynamic dance team blending traditional and contemporary African styles. Backed by a full live band, the concert unfolds in three acts — from the rhythmic roots of the drum to the colorful expressions of regional sounds, culminating in a modern celebration ……… dance dance dance.

Join us as we celebrate two new musical releases, an album by Saint Paul-based Americana artist Emmy Woods and a new single by Emmy, Dakotah Faye, and LowJam. The three collaborating artists will be joined by local Americana songwriter, Laura Hugo, for a night of heartfelt performances at the Cedar Cultural Center on January 10 in Minneapolis, MN, celebrating both the new album and the single. Tickets are available on the venue's events page.

After their packed 2025 Minneapolis debut, Ukraine’s legendary Vopli Vidopliassova return on January 15, 2026 for an unforgettable Malanka Night at The Cedar Cultural Center!

Celebrating the release of Zaq Baker’s new album, Don’t Worry About Me, Zaq Baker Team and the Cedar Cultural Center are thrilled to present afters — aerial, expansive, moody, lyric-driven, emotionally stirring indie rock — and Pullstring, whose catchy melodies and airtight guitars harken to the most delicious pop/rock of the 90’s and 2000’s. The night will close with Zaq Baker Team, a pop-punk (ish) quintet whose energizing performances incorporate piano rock, musical theatre, and synthpop, all into something fast and evocative... interpolated with powerful ballads on love and mental health.

Get ready for Funny Shades of Chocolate - a stand-up comedy show that blends different cultures, experiences, and comedic styles into one unforgettable night. Featuring Atul Patel, Rene Humberto Valdiviezo, and KJ The Comedian, with headliner Ray Lau (featured on Netflix Is a Joke’s “Introducing…”, Don’t Tell Comedy, and The Locals with Iliza Schlesinger), it’s proof that the funniest comedy comes from the most diverse perspectives. Each comic will bring their own flavor and point of view to the stage for a night full of laughter, relatability, and fresh comedic energy that will keep you smiling long after the show ends. 

FRÄNDER plays modern acoustic folk music forged in the deep forests of the northern Europe, blending Swedish and Estonian traditions. With seductive harmonies, heavy grooves, and mesmerizing energy, the band creates a unique musical landscape filled with mystery and charm. FRÄNDER returns to the Cedar after headlining our Global Roots Festival in 2024.

Dom Flemons, The American Songster, invites you to experience the captivating history of Black Cowboys and the roots of American music through an innovative concert experience. “Dom Flemons is on a mission to uncover, preserve and push forward America’s musical past—particularly Black musical traditions.” - WBEZ Chicago

Ondara returns to The Cedar stage with his new band The Jet Stone Conspiracy, which he describes as, “the culmination of my rebirth- It’s a surrender to the currents of free expression- an invitation to explore new realms of sound, movement, and poetry.”

With a ship’s-horn power voice & irresistible stage presence, Eurovision winner Nani Vazana breathes life into the endangered Ladino Language. Nani’s heard Ladino from her Moroccan grandmother in hiding, as her father forbade the language at home. Her songwriting fuses Sephardic fairytales with contemporary storytelling and the sounds of the marketplace with Flamenco drama. 

Brothers Brian and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn play harmony-rich folk music influenced by traditional Irish music. Performing as Ye Vagabonds, the duo is part of an emerging scene of Irish folk musicians, alongside Lankum, John Francis Flynn, and Landless. This is the brothers’ first time performing at The Cedar.

Bluegrass & Red Hearts. Celebrate (the day after) Valentine’s with two powerhouses of bluegrass: Arkansauce and Chicken Wire Empire.

Multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul (Black Belt Eagle Scout) returns to The Cedar with friends Mato Wayhui (composer for the award-winning series Reservation Dogs) and Ailani. 

Apes of the State are fiercely independent and practice a DIY ethos, hoping to serve as an example that you can achieve success outside of the traditional music industry framework. The band joins us at the Cedar in February to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of their debut release, This City Isn’t Big Enough, with support from Rent Strike.

The Cedar is proud to welcome back folk songwriter Dar Williams, described as "one of America's very best singer-songwriters" by the New Yorker. Her new album is out this September on Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe Records. 

Storied Canadian songwriters James Keelaghan and David Woodhead come together for a night of award-winning folk music. 

FIA is a five-time Island Music Award winner from Hawai‘i whose mix of R&B, soul, and reggae has earned him a global fanbase. His hit single Love Me has over 42 million Spotify streams and remains one of the most requested songs in Island Reggae.

He has toured the U.S., Hawai‘i, and the South Pacific, performing at major festivals and sharing stages with top artists. His music, including Fly Away, Be Better, and Never Give Up, highlights his signature blend of heartfelt lyrics and Island soul.

FIA continues to grow as one of Island music’s leading voices.

As the rising voice of America’s most ethnically diverse generation of young people, singer-songwriter Amanda Pascali writes music that speaks to the experience of growing up as a first-generation American. Blending folk/American influences with Mediterranean, Balkan, and Latin rhythms, Pascali’s songs are powerful tales of America told through the eyes of immigrants and those who have always felt like the “other.” 

“After a few listens to the record it becomes apparent that Chicago Farmer has a refreshingly firm grip on where he comes from. The songs are covered to the elbows in dirt from the fields and smell of the sweaty factory floors. If the Midwest is looking for a voice, the search is over.” - No Depression 

Dálava sources Moravian (Czech) folk songs that were collected by lead vocalist Julia Ulehla’s great-grandfather in his village, and renders them in an improvisatory, cinematic musical language. The duo has received critical acclaim for the unique ways in which they blend folk tradition and avant-garde and experimental elements.

Ukrainian-Canadian pianist Lubomyr Melnyk is best known for his groundbreaking “continuous music” performances, blending four historic elements: classical piano, minimalist drumming, martial arts, and Transcendental Meditation. With these 4 elements, Lubomyr does what no other pianist could. His extraordinary virtuosity enables him to create dream-like effects on the piano. Melnyk composes, as he plays, at the piano, feeling out lines and individual rhythmic cells that bubble, undulate, and gradually expand into vast, interlinked frameworks. He is a one-of-a-kind performer who we are thrilled to present to audiences at The Cedar.

Incomparable guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson brings Canis Major to the Cedar stage for the first time. Dave Adewumi (trumpet), Henry Fraser (bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums) round out the quartet.

Fantastic Negrito is carrying the mantle for all the soulful bluesmen who came before him. The singer’s 2024 album Son of a Broken Man is gritty, raw, and full of fire and brimstone.

The masters of traditional Tuvan instruments, as well as the ancient art of throat singing, ALASH return to The Cedar stage for the 7th time in their history.

Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians of Alash subtly infuse their songs with Western elements, citing influences from otherworldly artists like Sun Ra and Jimi Hendrix, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage.

Them Coulee Boys spent the past decade-plus establishing themselves as one of the Midwest’s premier purveyors of bluegrass and Americana. The Cedar is thrilled to welcome the Eau Claire-based band to our stage for the first time.

The Cedar welcomes English indie rockers The Wedding Present for the first time, performing their Steve Albini-produced album Seamonsters in its entirety.  

Yasmin Williams is one of the most innovative voices in guitar playing today, crafting rich instrumental compositions that sway from traditional folk to atmospheric soundscapes, experimenting with rich tapestries of sound. Her performance at The Cedar this Spring is sure to be a highlight of our 2026 calendar. 

Described as a cross between Tina Turner and Miriam Makeba, Nomfusi is a South African singer poised for greatness. 

Philadelphia pop-folk songwriter Carsie Blanton takes her cues from legends like Nina Simone, Cleo Brown, Joni Mitchell and John Prine. She’s a ferocious wordsmith who pulls no punches on her 2024 full-length After the Revolution. This is Carsie’s second time performing at The Cedar, and we welcome her back in time when her words are more poignant than ever.