Folk dance and music in Minneapolis & St. Paul

TWIN CITIES FOLK INFORMATION

(Formerly used for Mighty Fine Dances, and Friday Night Dances at Scooter's)

Last updated July, 2009

Hey all you regular visitors, before you jump ahead make sure you read the important notice below!

This webpage contains announcements of special folk (s.l.) events that come to my attention, in particular lesser-publicised happenings. This is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of all folk or related events in the Twin Cities, but rather ones which I thought might be less well known. Unfortunately I don't have the information to constantly update a comprehensive listing of folk events in the area, but the links at the end of this page provide additional information, especially about the better known venues. Dances or concerts are as likely, if not more so, to be found at one of these linked venues as to be listed on this page. They just have their own websites and I don't need to list their schedules too.

I've started adding comments and update dates in square brackets.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The final(?) word on this website is that the university is no longer providing webspace for alumni, though I should (providing they do not change their minds about this too) continue to have an email account (after paying a lot of money for it). This website was supposed to be gone mid-2008 and is still here, so I don't know what is going on. I'll continue to maintain it as long as it is here, but I have also moved it to: http://www.freewebs.com/tcfolk/ Please update your bookmarks.

SPECIAL EVENTS

REGULAR EVENTS

Dances

As a general note, both Minneapolis and St. Paul have now banned smoking in bars, restaurants, and cafes.

Sunday Night Social Dances at the Half Time Rec, 1013 Front St., St. Paul, 8-11p.m. $5. Band varies weekly. Usually couples dancing, currently mostly Cajun and Zydeco. Dance lessons before the dance. [Venue is a bar with a moderate size dance space; the music may be loud. St. Paul bars are now smoke-free. It looks like the link to the calendar is broken but they are still going in Sept. 2007]
Monday Night Square Dance November 2005 Update: After many years of dancing and great music at the Half-Time Rec in St.Paul, the Monday Night Square Dance has moved to the Eagles Club in Minneapolis. The dance is on the first Monday of the month from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. The Eagles Club is open to the public, has an excellent dance floor and is smoke-free. It is located at 2507 E. 25th St. in south Minneapolis (25th Ave. S. and 25th St., half way between Franklin Ave. and Lake St.) Their phone is 612-729-4469. [I believe there is a $5 cover charge - BH]
First Saturday New England Contra Dance Oddfellows' Hall (map), corner of Hampden and Raymond Avenues, near Hwy. 280 and I94 in St. Paul. 8:00 p.m., first Saturday of each month. From I94 (east or west) take the exit for Hwy. 280, then immediately exit for University Avenue and proceed along frontage road until you meet University Ave.. Turn right to head east on University, to the second traffic light, then turn left onto Raymond Avenue. Follow Raymond north for about 1/4 mile until you see a park on your left and a brick building with a co-op on your right. Upstairs in the brick building is the Oddfellows' Hall, and the entrance is on the side of the building on Hampden Avenue. $6 Various bands, with Jim Brooks usually calling. For more information: (651) 222-5475, e-mail: jjjbrooks AT netzero.net

Sessions/Jams

Traditional Singers Club monthly singing session is at Keegan's Irish Pub in Minneapolis (the same one that has the Irish Sunday session) from 3pm to 5pm the last Sunday of each month. Also occasional concerts of unaccompanied traditional singing featuring a special guest singer. More information on their website: www.singclub.org
Acoustic Music/Bluegrass jam Third Sunday of each month at May Day Cafe from 3-5 PM at 3440 Bloomington Avenue South in Minneapolis Minnesota. Bring music to share for the newbies and all levels are welcome, beginners are the focus but no one turned away.
First And Third Saturday Mornings Cajun Jam Betsy's Backporch closed for good. The Cajun Jam continues at The Coffee Grounds in Falcon Heights [this is about halfway between Minneapolis and St. Paul downtowns, near Como Park]. The address is 1579 Hamline Avenue North. Instrument lessons for the season finish up in May [2009]; the jams will continue over the summer [I suggest calling ahead to confirm this -B]. They will be held the first and third Saturdays except on July 4. Lessons will resume in the fall. The lessons last from 9:45 until 10:30 AM; the jam then continues until 1 PM. [Updated May 2009]
Irish, Folk, and Jazz at Merlin's Rest Merlin's Rest has a Tuesday night folk jam, and it is rumored Friday is also an informal jam night. I haven't been to either but I think this is another migration of the old Molly Quinn's Irish crowd. 3601 E. Lake St., Minneapolis - 612 216 2419 [Updated May 2009]
Tuesday Night Old-Time Music. An informal session held at the Oddfellows' Hall. 8 p.m. - approx. 10:30 p.m. The music sticks pretty closely to the Appalacian old-time string band tradition. Play along or practice clogging. Small donation requested to cover cost of hall rental. Contact nebyl001@tc.NoSpamumn.edu (Remove "NoSpam" to make this address work) for more information. [Aug. 2007 update: Despite rumors as to ownership uncertainties I am told that a group is working to keep this area available for folk events and the jam is still going.]
Misc. Acoustic Jam Saturdays starting at 1 P.M Acoustic instruments and singers, blues, bluegrass, country, old time, whatever! All skill levels welcome. Dunn Bros. 2583 West 7th St., St. Paul 651-699-4449. [I found this on craigslist.org so I have no additional information -B]. [Udated February 2009].
Sunday Morning Jam "The Edge (old Prairie Star/Artist Grind) is now open on Sundays, and we'd like to get some old-time music going starting this Sunday, March 22nd [2009] at 10 A.M. Hopefully this will be a smaller, more intimate jam. We'd love to have people who aren't already going up to Columbia Heights or want to try something different. Very informal, laid back, grab a beverage and a chair, circle type jam, playing mostly old-time, folk and and gospel, depending on what people bring to it." [entered May 2009]
Saturday Morning Old-Time Music. October 2005 update: The jam that used to be held at the Second Moon Coffee house has now moved to the Village Blend (see below).
More Saturday Morning Old-Time Music. The Village Blend, 2900 Pentagon Drive N.E., St. Anthony Village, MN. (612) 781-7940. Don't be confused by the location name; this is about 3 miles NE of downtown Minneapolis. It is located in a shopping strip-mall and can be a bit difficult to spot because it is set back from the rest of the buildings.
Even More Saturday Morning Old-Time Music. Another old-time jam has started at the Artist Blend (former Prairie Star) coffeehouse location just west of the northwest corner of Raymond and University Avenues in St. Paul (about 2 blocks east of Highway 280 and 2 blocks north of I94). People seem to clear out by about 12:00 though I don't know if there is an official ending time. Space is limited.
Sunday Morning Old Time Jam Columbia Grounds Coffee House, 3301 Central Ave. MN, Minneapolis, 612 388-3531. 2 miles S. of I694, exit to Central Ave. 2 miles north and half a mile west of I35W, exit for Broadway, then head W to Central, then N. From I94 exit at Broadway, go 2 miles E to Central, then N to 33rd. Starts about 10 a.m.
Fourth Wednesday Old-Time and Bluegrass jam. Ginkgo's Coffeehouse on the NW corner of Snelling and Minnehaha (about 1 mile N of I94) in St. Paul. 7 p.m.
Sunday Evening Irish Session. O'Gara's Pub [I am 99.999% certain this session is no longer taking place. Sept. 2007]
Sunday Early Evening Irish Session. Keeghan's Bar, Minneapolis (on University Ave. opposite Surdyk's liquor store, just west of Hennepin Ave, north of downtown MPLS and north of the river). Instrumental Irish music. Session from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The bar has requested musicians adhere to the finishing time. Intended for intermediate to advanced players. Seating is limited.
Irish music Session at Hobgoblin Music/Stony End Harps in Red Wing, Minnesota. Sessions are the 4th Sunday of every month starting at 6:00 PM. The sessions are held one mile south of the intersection of US Hwy 61 and Minnesota 19. Look for a huge grey barn on the West side of the road, green roof, with a poem on the side! Sessions are smoke-free. Call (877) 866-3936 for information. (Note, this replaces: Monday Evening Irish Session in Rochester, Minnesota.)
Wednesday Evening Irish Session. Kieran's Irish Pub, 330 2nd Ave So., downtown Minneapolis, (612) 339-4499. Instrumental Irish music. Session starts about 9 p.m.and is intended for fairly experienced players. (Parking tip: Head north on Marquette, [1 block west of 2nd. Ave.], just past 5th Street. Kieran's will give you a ticket to park free at the Downtown Auto Park.) See also link below.
Check out the Homestead Pickin' Parlor jam page for bluegrass and folksinging sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. 6625 Penn Ave So. Richfield, MN (about 10 miles S. of downtown Minneapolis, take the Penn Ave. exit off Hwy 62, head south about 1 mile, in the small strip mall on the left) (612) 861-3308 (phone).
Also check the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association for information about bluegrass jams.
Monday night weekly Nordic acoustic music jam at the Northfield Eagles Club, 304 Water Street South, Northfield, MN. Participants and listeners at all ages and levels of experience are welcome! Friendly, non-smoking pub atmosphere. Supportive learning environment. Free. More Information [updated Sept. 2007]

Transportation

Check the MetroTransit site for more information on buses.

The Oddfellows Hall is close to the number 16 and 87 buses.

Other sites to check:
Tapestry Folkdance Center A major venue for Twin Cities folkdancing (also swing)	Louisiana Music in the Upper Midwest Cajun/Zydeco
The Cedar Cultural Centre Mostly folk/ethnic concerts; occasional dances, especially Cajun/Zydeco	Twin Cities Irish Music and Dance information LINK BROKEN
Jim Kiehne's Webpage International dance, Twin Cities.	Dance Gypsy Site Dance information, mostly for New England and select other locations.
TC Swing Terry Gardner/Cindy Gardener (Geiger)'s swing dance page	Rendezvous Ballroom Classes and events for various kinds of couple's dancing.
Greenwood Tree Guitar/hammered dulcimer duo	New Folk Collective Singer/songwriter folk concerts
Home on the Range Community Dance Association, Dances in the Iron Range, northern Minnesota (does not include Tamarack dances)	Ethnic Dance Theatre Ethnic dance performances
BestIrishMusic.com General Irish info. for midwest. Image intensive with frames, so slow loading.	Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association Status of organization uncertain but the website is down.
Contracorners Web Site Site with dance information for the US	Ginkgo's Coffeehouse Weekly folk concerts, open stage, jams
Skandilous Scandinavian band (now disbanded and domain name used by somebody else)	Twin Cities Acoustic Music Calendar
Twin Cities Irish Music and Dance Association Page Local band listings, major events	Scandinavian Dance and Music Calendar [Broken Link]
Twin Cities Ceilidhs Local Irish dances	Maiden Rock Dances Barndances in Maiden Rock, WI
Contradancelinks Website International listing of contradance venues	St. Paul Czech and Slovak Folk dancers

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