In addition to email updates, you can also get information about upcoming events from our social media accounts: Facebook and Instagram.

We also send out physical mail. To be added to our mailing list, please contact us. 

And we’re always happy to talk with you in person! Come by our office to learn more about upcoming events.

We are three distinct entities - we understand it's confusing!

• Rochester Public Music is a department of the City of Rochester. Founded in 1936, our mission is to bring people together by creating fun and memorable live music experiences.

• Rochester Civic Theatre is Rochester's longest running community theatre - an independent non-profit located within the Mayo Civic Center complex.

• The Mayo Civic Center is a venue complex, located in downtown Rochester. Mayo Civic Center hosts and programs a variety of local, regional, national, and international conventions as well as sports and entertainment events.

Great question.

To make a Riverside concert happen, our staff and production crews start getting everything ready early the morning of the show - setup takes a long time and a large crew of people. By the time we make the final call to cancel a concert (which we hate to do, so we wait until the last possible moment) there wouldn't be enough time to move everything indoors.

Check out this time lapse video to see a full twelve hours of a Riverside Music Series show (including setup) condensed into one minute!

Since our concerts are outdoors rain or shine, it takes more than a little rain to stop us!

We cancel concerts when we can confidently expect that it would be unsafe to go ahead with the show. For an outdoor concert, that means sustained winds above 30 MPH, nearby lightning, severe thunderstorms (e.g. hail, torrential rain), extreme heat, or unsafe air quality. These conditions make the show unsafe for the audience, staff and performers.

We work closely with the National Weather Service to determine when we need to cancel events.

We get this question a lot! The most simple answer is that it's usually not possible.

When a presenter (a venue or booking organization) signs a contract with an artist to have them perform, there is something in the contract called a "radius clause." This clause specifically prohibits the artist from performing within a certain radius (or area) surrounding that particular gig for a certain period of time. 

So when you see a band come through the Twin Cities, it's almost 100% certain that we wouldn't be able to have them come down to Rochester to perform.

The way sound travels is influenced by environmental factors - things like humidity, temperature, and wind. Depending on these variables, it's possible that you may hear our concerts from quite a distance away. 

While this is a perk for some, we realize this can be an inconvenience for others. We thank you in advance for your understanding.

Throughout the programming season, Rochester Public Music (RPM) offers a variety of opportunities for musicians, local vendors, artists and other partners. Learn more on our Opportunities page.

Are you looking for ways to contribute, sponsor or volunteer with Rochester Public Music? Visit the Support Rochester Public Music page to learn more.