Rock the Garden 2021 canceled

The Walker Art Center and MPR News sister station The Current have canceled Rock the Garden for 2021.

The annual music event at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden has been an unofficial start to summer for many Minnesotans since it launched in 2008.

Featuring many international, national and local stars including David Byrne, Chance the Rapper, Lizzo, Wilco, the National, and Bon Iver, Rock the Garden usually attracts sold-out crowds.

But in a joint statement The Current and the Walker say that due to the uncertainties around planning a large-scale outdoor event next year during the pandemic, they have decided against presenting Rock the Garden in 2021.

They said after careful consideration they determined they could not do the event in its current form in a way that would guarantee the safety of community members and artists.

Organizers say they hope to present Rock the Garden in 2022

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