30+ years running! Featuring must-see national acts and standout local opening artists, these free, un-ticketed outdoor music events are held on five consecutive Sunday evenings in downtown Rochester, Minnesota along the Zumbro River.
Stellar music, gorgeous green space, plus local food vendors and giveaways. These shows are for everyone, and we hope to see you in the park!
Save the dates - we'll see you next year! 2025 dates:
Intro Text
Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba ecstatically explore the spiritual songs, stories, and rhythms of Senegal’s millennia-old Mandé culture. Cissokho comes from a long line of prominent griots who are entrusted to maintain a West African village’s genealogies and important ceremonial affairs through song. Cissokho and his band, Kaira Ba, effortlessly integrate the traditional sounds of the kora with a modern rush of electric guitar and an exuberant rhythm section.
Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba ecstatically explore the spiritual songs, stories, and rhythms of Senegal’s millennia-old Mandé culture. Cissokho comes from a long line of prominent griots who are entrusted to maintain a West African village’s genealogies and important ceremonial affairs through song. Cissokho and his band, Kaira Ba, effortlessly integrate the traditional sounds of the kora with a modern rush of electric guitar and an exuberant rhythm section.
When Cissokho immigrated from Senegal to North Carolina, he initiated a collaboration that he hoped might bridge the Atlantic, connecting worlds thousands of miles apart but bound by a shared history. Over the past eight years, Kaira Ba has done just that, producing three full-length albums, touring extensively in the United States, and voyaging twice as a band to Senegal to collaborate with Diali’s extended family and community. In 2014, the band was nominated for the prestigious continent-wide All Africa Music Award (AFRIMA) in the category “Best African Group” for their album The Great Peace. In 2018 the band released Routes, its most ambitious album to date. Recorded in both North Carolina and Senegal, the album was met with critical acclaim. Songlines hailed the album as “up there with the groundbreaking recordings of Thione Seck, Baaba Maal and Youssou N’Dour.”
This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Minnesota State Arts Board.
TICKETS GO ON SALE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AT 9AM.
Tickets available at Rochester Civic Music in City Hall (walk-in or by phone, no handling fees), the Mayo Civic Center Box Office (walk-in, no handling fees), and Ticketmaster (online). Order by phone at 507-328-2200 or 800-657-3980 or in person at 201 4th St. SE, Suite 170 (City Hall). Group rates available. More information at rochestermn.gov/civicmusic.
The Rochester Civic Music Box Office hours are 9 AM - 4 PM (M-F). We are open through the noon hour. Cash, Check, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted.
Current City of Rochester COVID-19 guidelines require the use of facial coverings in all City buildings including the Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Civic Theatre.
CART captioning will be available here or via QR code in the park. Please bring a data-connected digital device (phone, tablet, laptop) to access this streaming service.
Assistance with CART will be available at the Public Music tent. Please contact Public Music for questions about additional accessibility accommodations.
Where
All concerts take place in Mayo Park, located in downtown Rochester behind the Mayo Civic Center. Concertgoers are encouraged to walk, bike, or roll to the shows if possible.
when
Save the dates - we'll see you next year! 2025 dates:
July 13, 2025
July 20, 2025
July 27, 2025
August 3, 2025
August 10, 2025
Music will begin at 7 p.m. and conclude between 9:30 and 10 p.m.
Food vendors will be onsite at 6 p.m. Come early to get food from local vendors and choose your spot in the park!
cost
Concerts are free and open to the public!
Meet & Greets
Interested in meeting the headliners? We partner with local radio stations to give away FREE backstage passes. Check here for information about how to win a pass.
Giveaways
On opening night, stop by the Think Bank tent to receive a FREE, limited edition Riverside Music Series t-shirt! Shirts are available in limited quantity - arrive early to be sure to get one!
And at each concert, Think Bank gives away a FREE electric guitar autographed by the headliner. Enter the giveaway by completing a survey by 7:45 p.m. on show day. Surveys can be completed at the Think Bank tent, by visiting the survey webpage, or by scanning a QR code at the event. Must be present to win.
Directions & parking
Mayo Park is directly accessible from nearby walking paths and bike trails, and concertgoers are encouraged to walk, bike, or roll to the shows if possible.
Ample free parking is available nearby, with public ramps, on-street meters, and City-owned surface lots all free to use on weekends and evenings. Accessible parking is available in all public parking ramps, and several designated accessible parking spaces are available on Civic Center Drive. Additional information about parking is available on the Mayo Civic Center website.
Seating
Space in the park is available on a first come, first served basis. Come early to choose your spot! We do not allow the use of ropes or stakes to reserve space.
We encourage you to bring lawn chairs or blankets to the events; seats are not provided.
items to bring
Coolers, food, drink, lawn chairs, blankets, and other items to make your experience more comfortable are welcome and encouraged. Please leave grills and pets, with the exception of service animals, at home.
concessions
Local food and beverage vendors will have a variety of options for sale. Vendors will be onsite at 5 p.m.
Smoking
Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited in Mayo Park.
Restrooms
Restrooms inside the Mayo Civic Center will be available for use. Entrances to the indoor restrooms are on either side of the stage through doors marked 16 and 19.
Additional portable toilets are located in the park near the food vendors.
Weather Policy
Concerts will take place outdoors rain or shine. Ponchos are preferred over umbrellas to keep sightlines unobstructed. In the case of threatening weather, the concert may be delayed, postponed, or, as a last resort, cancelled.
For weather related updates the day of the event, please check our event updates page or social media accounts.
Soliciting
In order to make our events enjoyable for all, we respectfully request that public and private parties refrain from campaigning or soliciting at the Riverside events. We appreciate your consideration.
Down by the Riverside has been sponsored by Think Bank since 2008.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Est. 1992