For the second summer in a row, the Basilica Block Party has been called off
The Basilica Block Party is on hold once again.
The annual outdoor music festival did not take place in 2022 and it won’t happen this summer, either.
“We are considering it on hiatus,” said Mae Desaire, director of marketing and communications for the Basilica of St. Mary. “We’re reconsidering for 2024.”
When asked for more details, Desaire said, “We’re reconsidering and leaving it at that for now.”
Founded in 1995 as a fundraiser to help pay for structural restoration of the Basilica of St. Mary in downtown Minneapolis, the Basilica Block Party was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2021, the event moved from its typical mid-July dates to September. But the day before the event began, Saturday night headliners the Avett Brothers canceled due to COVID-19 exposure. Ticket sales suffered and the festival drew about half its pre-pandemic attendance.
Organizers announced 2022 was off the table that February. “Live events have had to rethink their strategy and future because of COVID, and the Block Party is no different,” said Holly Dockendorf, the Basilica’s special events manager, in a news release. “Taking a year off will give us time to rethink what the event could be and how to make it better for the future,” she added.
That leaves the metro with no major outdoor summer festivals. In September, organizers for both the long-running Rock the Garden and new-to-the-market Twin Cities Summer Jam announced the festivals would not return in 2023.
Concertgoers still have numerous non-festival options in the coming months:
U.S. Bank Stadium has shows booked from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Strokes (April 8), Luke Combs (May 13), Taylor Swift (June 23-24) and Ed Sheeran (Aug. 12).
Pink is playing Target Field on Aug. 10.
Upcoming concerts at Xcel Energy Center include John Mayer (April 1), the reunited Blink-182 (May 4), Shania Twain (May 17), Janet Jackson (May 30), Brooks and Dunn (June 3), The Cure (June 8), Alabama (June 22), Bryan Adams (July 3), Thomas Rhett (July 27), Madonna (July 30), Paramore (Aug. 2), Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind and Fire (Aug. 4), Nickelback (Aug. 7) and Sam Smith (Aug. 16).
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