Minnesota’s Twin Cities Summer Jam – billed as the largest music festival in the state – is planning its comeback for summer 2021. The festival, along with so many others, was called off amid COVID fears in 2020, but is scheduled to go off in July, with tickets on sale this week. Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood and Lynyrd Skynyrd are the headliners of the three-day event, which takes place July 22-24 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN.
“After taking the year off to stay healthy and social distance, we are ready for fun in 2021,” reads a letter from Twin Cities Summer Jam CEO Jerry Braam published this week. “Like many of you, we are ready to get back to the festival life – the great outdoors, camping, friends, music, and memories. Make plans now to attend Twin Cities Summer Jam, July 22-24, 2021!”
Lynyrd Skynyrd is the headliner for the Thursday slate, opening the festival following opening sets by Kip Moore, Elvie Shane, and 32 Below. Friday’s slate is headlined by Carrie Underwood, joined by Ian Munsick, Blanco Brown, and Brett Young. On Saturday, the festival closes with a performance from Zac Brown Band, with lead-ins from Ashley McBryde, Mitchell Tenpenny, and the Fabulous Armadillos.
Twin Cities Summer Jam takes place in Shakopee, which is southwest of downtown Minneapolis, at the edge of the greater Twin Cities metro area. Camping is available for the venue, which allows for multiple-day ticket purchases or single-day admission. General Admission ticket prices are $99 for a single day or $199 for 3-day passes, with VIP and up-front viewing options available for more. Tickets for the 2020 event – which was technically postponed – will be honored for the 2021 dates.
With the pandemic continuing to rage across the country, the venue’s health and safety protocols are prominently featured in both the CEO letter and the festival website. “Your safety is our top priority. We are working with the MN Department of Health and local officials, and are prepared to put measures in place, if need be, in order to have a safe event next year” Braam’s letter says. “Our venue, Canterbury Park, is the premier event space in the Midwest, and its layout offers plenty of room to accommodate everyone’s needs.”
All sales of tickets are final, the ticket policy page reads, with the lone exception of there being “a full event cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” with no other exceptions mentioned. As with all event organizers making plans while questions over attendance and distancing rules, the fact that things may change between sale and event are clearly indicated on the policy pages. But their hopes are for a full scale event, likely bolstered by hopes of widespread COVID vaccine distribution available by the summer of next year.
“Gather up your friends and family and get your tickets to Minnesota’s largest music festival,” Braam says. “We’re ready for all the fun and can’t wait to see you all again!”