The 34th annual Minnesota Festival of Jazz on the Prairie will make Staring Lake Park swing from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. This event promises a toe-tapping good time for jazz aficionados and casual listeners alike.
Hosted by the Jazz on the Prairie Big Band, the festival will showcase seven local jazz big bands and mark the unofficial start of the summer jazz season in the Twin Cities.
This year’s lineup is sure to impress, kicking off with the Just Friends Big Band at noon and featuring performances from the Bend in the River Big Band, Genesis Jazz Orchestra, River City Jazz Orchestra, ACME Jazz Company, and Good News Big Band. The Jazz on the Prairie Big Band will close out the festival with a performance from 6 to 7 p.m.
Rib Fest 2024
But it’s not just about the music.
Running alongside the festival is the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary’s Rib Fest 2024 fundraiser, offering a delectable array of food and drink to enjoy with the tunes. Profits from the event support the Rotary’s local and international service projects, making every bite count for a good cause.
Dinner tickets, priced at $18, cover a rib dinner or a pulled chicken sandwich dinner, each served with coleslaw and chips. Other tasty options include a hot dog kids meal for $6 and Culver’s frozen custard for $4. Beverages are available at $7 for Boom Island beer and wine, and $3 for root beer and water. Tickets can be purchased from local Rotarians before the event or at the Ribfest ticket tent on the day of the festival.
Benefiting from Ribfest include My Book Day, which promotes literacy by providing Eden Prairie first graders with their own hardcover book; Onward Eden Prairie, offering housing and services for homeless youth; and student scholarships supporting local educational pursuits.
Additional initiatives include Let’s Go Fishing, which provides fishing and boating excursions for seniors, veterans, and youth, as well as international efforts in clean water provision, disease prevention, and economic growth.
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