Upcoming events.
Want your event featured on the PAC Events Calendar? Contact us at info@publicartnd.org
Thompson Theater Arts Presents: High School Musical
Disney's High School Musical is an energetic, family-friendly musical that follows a group of high school students as they discover new talents, challenge expectations, and learn the importance of friendship, teamwork, and being true to themselves. When two students from very different social circles audition for the school musical, they inspire their classmates to step outside their comfort zones and pursue their passions. Filled with memorable songs, lively dance numbers, and positive messages, High School Musical is a fun and uplifting celebration of confidence, inclusion, and following your dreams.
Disney's High School Musical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
MACBETH
North Dakota Shakespeare Festival Presents Macbeth
Experience Shakespeare’s gripping tragedy Macbeth with North Dakota Shakespeare Festival, featuring professional and North Dakota-based actors and technicians from across the country. Join us for an evening of theatrical magic under the summer sky at University Park in Grand Forks.
Emma Katka Exhibit
Join us for the eye catching and enticing art of local artist, Emma Katka! Opening reception is June 13th 2pm-5pm at Arts for Vets downtown GF and the exhibit will run until June 30th.
Arts For Vets: Mandy Smestad's Soster
Celebrate the life of Melissa Smestad Halvorson through the eyes of her sister, award winning and published artist, Mandy Smestad. This exhibit will feature expressionism, surrealism, abstract, contemporary and more. Join us at Arts for Vets June 13th 2pm-5pm for the opening reception. There will be live music, refreshments and drinks as well. This exhibit will run for the duration of the month.
Rydell GMC Presents: The Empire's Music Box
This month’s Empire Music box will feature 3 musicians; Matt Pinkard, Chris Erickson, and Cody Verret! As always, the show will be preceded by an open-to-the-public jam, so bring any instrument you’d like! If you're interested in live, local music, the Music Box is the place to be! Come for the music, stay for the good vibes(and the free popcorn).
For the jam, we ask that participants limit any extra equipment that takes excess time to set up that may take away from the time others have to participate. The Empire provides equipment such as keyboards, amps, drums, cymbals, and cables so there is no need to bring your own!
Doors open at 6:00 PM, open-jam starts at 7:00 PM
The Music Box is one of the only venues in Grand Forks that allows artists to play what they want, and our Music Box stage helps to give any musician a platform to perform, regardless the genre or experience.
Tickets available by donation at the door. Recommended Donation of $10. The Music Box is supported through our sponsor, Rydell GMC and through donations from our community.
ArtWise: Lacey Anderson Photography Opening & Exhibit
ArtWise will exhibit Lacey Anderson's photography May 17-June 20, 2026. An opening will be on May 17 from 2:00-4:00.
Lacey Anderson is an educator, sociologist, and Garden Fellow at the GRO.UND Learning Gardens at the University of North Dakota. With more than fifteen years of teaching experience, her artistic practice is shaped by the concepts she explores in the classroom, including sustainability, social equity, advocacy, and care. She works across photography, embroidery, and assemblage to translate these ideas into visual form.
Through her work, Anderson invites viewers to slow down and look closely. By focusing on small, easily overlooked moments, Biodiversity in Bloom highlights the interconnected relationships between humans and the natural world, suggesting that care for the environment is inseparable from broader questions of justice, responsibility, and collective well-being.
Concerts in the Garden: Brett Newski and the Bad Inventions
Brett Newski is back again this year, but this time with his full band, the Bad Inventions! Wisconsin indie rock mainstay Brett Newski & the Bad Inventions bring a collision of alt-country, Tom Petty, & 90’s alternative rock on their latest LP, ameriCONa (not on streaming). Newski is back with satirical humor, contrarian ethos, & the knack for creating anthems for outliers. The ep shows flourishes of Bob Dylan & Jonathan Richman, with production in the vein of Velvet Underground.
His new book Piss in the Wind, tells tales of his weirdest shows across Vietnam, Thailand, and Hong Kong before moving to Saigon, Vietnam for two years. A must-read for fans of Hunter S Thompson, Chuck Klosterman, or Henry Rollins.
NEWSKI has played alongside bands like Violent Femmes, Pixies, Nada Surf, Guster, Gin Blossoms, Better than Ezra, Barenaked Ladies, Japanese Breakfast, Built to Spill, and Courtney Barnett. The band has received praise from Rolling Stone, NPR, American Songwriter, SiriusXM, Boston Globe, NBC, Billboard and SPIN.
Rydell GMC Presents: The Empire's Music Box
Come to the Empire’s Music Box July 11th, 2026!
The Empire's monthly Music Box features 3 local acts, as well as an open-to-the-public jam at the start of every show. If you're interested in live, local music, the Music Box is the place to be! Come for the music, stay for the good vibes(and the free popcorn).
Doors open at 6:00 PM, open-jam starts at 7:00 PM
The Music Box is one of the only venues in Grand Forks that allows artists to play what they want, and our Music Box stage helps to give any musician a platform to perform, regardless the genre or experience.
Tickets available by donation at the door. Recommended Donation of $10. The Music Box is supported through our sponsor, Rydell GMC and through donations from our community.
Concerts in the Garden: Cousin Curtiss
Cousin Curtiss brings to the stage a fiery dynamic rarely seen by a solo act and now partnered up with the equally enigmatic and soulfully driven electric guitar prowess of Harrison B, these two road warriors are on a mission to electrify audiences everywhere with their two-man full-band sound. Think, “blues at bluegrass speeds.” Imagine, “rock americana with a soulful drip.” Experience rapid fire acoustic guitar, incendiary harmonica, fiercely energized solos, all driven by a thunderous kick drum.
Cousin Curtiss left a successful teaching career in Alaska in 2015 to pursue music full time and has never looked back. Shortly after committing himself to road life, his life and story was discovered and featured by Business Insider, Cosmopolitan magazine, Redbull, Fox News, MSNBC, Daily Mail UK, and many more.
Years later, Cousin Curtiss continues to turn heads wherever he plays solo, with the band, or supporting acts like The Commonheart, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, G Love and Special Sauce, Infamous Stringdusters, Sweet Lillies, Andy Thorn (of Leftover Salmon), John Stickley, Pepper, The Bellamy Brothers, and the list goes on. The journey that started in dive bars has grown to festival appearances around the States such as Salmonfest, New West Fest, Hoxeyville, Chickenstock, Mile of Music, Tico Time Bluegrass Fest, and more.
Concerts in the Garden: Sean Hayes
The music of Sean Hayes consists of folk, soul, country, and in between the cracks, on the edges – roots, rock, reggae. Sean Hayes is a crooner, a wailer and an escape artist. He plays songs to get you dancing, sipping, dreaming and falling.
Born in New York, raised in North Carolina, with over 30 years playing music in California’s Bay Area you can hear a bit of all these places flowing through the songwriting and his singular voice.
These influences are reflected in the many different musicians Sean has played with over the years. From singing duets with Aimee Mann and Frazey Ford to touring with Charley Crockett, Jolie Holland, The Wood Brothers, Ani DeFranco and The Cold War Kids among many others. His songs have been remixed by renowned House DJ Mark Farina and have appeared on NPR, NBC and HBO. Dress it up however you like it’s just good music.
Other inspirations run the gamut: sly, funky jams like “Bell” and “Gold Tooth” revolve quite literally around a celebration of the bell shape and Hayes’ gold tooth, respectively; while “Joy” is a seductive, slow-burning afternoon love song, and “Invisible Weight” sings the praises of a simple apology, no matter how long overdue. Taken together, these tracks comprise a meditation on balance and acceptance — on learning to see life’s bruises and heartaches as necessary parts of the ride.
Concerts in the Garden: TAE and the Neighborly
Tae & The Neighborly, a Wisconsin based Soul-pop R&B group, found themselves playing music together in a very unconventional way. They were all neighbors, each one living alone on one floor of a five-story flat.
Cake baking is a shared passion of the five-member group, but in the sugar shortages early in the 2020 pandemic, they found themselves so continually knocking on each other’s doors asking for a single cup of sugar that a group decision was made to all move in together and share cake-baking resources. And since everyone knows all good rhythms begin in the kitchen, it wasn’t before long that the group began to write and perform together across the nation.
Critics hail the group as “having more kick than a bagged-up mule” (Rotary Times) and their live show “…going down smoother than a can of [beans] warmed on the campfire” (Cowboy Gazette). All in all, if you are looking for a dense show that will give you more inspiration fuel for self lovin’, world changin’, and consideration havin’ meet them where the music is made to be shared.
The Cream of Wheat Caper: A melodrama on the Red River
Oh, dear! The Cream of Wheat heiress has been kidnapped. Mayor Griggs must pay unless someone can rescue her!
This comic performances is perfect for all ages. It is loosely based on characters from GF's history, such as Captain/Mayor Alexander Griggs, Cora Smith (Eaton), and Elizabeth Bull (Merrifield), the Cream of Wheat heiress. In the tradition of a melodrama, you are invited to "Boo!" the villain and cheer for the hero. You're also invited to sing along to popular songs from the 1800s such as "Coming Around the Mountain," "Bicycle Built for Two," and more!
Enjoy a beautiful summer's evening outside at the Myra Museum and let our talented cast transport you back to the 1890s in Grand Forks!
Running time is approx. 60 minutes.
"Grub" will be available for purchase prior to the show. Come early and explore the Myra Museum's historical sites.
This production is made possible by the City of GF Arts Re-grant program and support from the Community Foundation of GF, EGF, and Region, as well as Visit Greater Grand Forks.
Concerts in the Garden: Bad Bad Habits
Bad Bad Hats is an indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerry Alexander and Chris Hoge met in college and formed the band in 2012. In the 10 years of BBH, they have toured the country many times in their trusty minivan, sampling the best local cuisine along the way. BBH has toured with The Beths, Margaret Glaspy, The Front Bottoms, Hippo Campus, and Michelle Branch, among many others. Their fourth album Bad Bad Hats was released in 2024 on Don Giovanni Records.
The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight
Cost: $104/$84/$61
After entertaining 700,000+ guests around the world, The Rock Orchestra by
Candlelight is back in the USA with a brand new show. Prepare for a spellbinding
90-minute spectacle that infuses iconic Rock & Metal anthems with a hauntingly
beautiful energy.
In ethereal candlelit settings, this band of 14 classical musicians unleash effortlessly
enchanting melodies alongside powerful walls of distortion. Witness the unexpected
union of Classical music and Metal. The Rock Orchestra is a rotating collective of
classical musicians, featuring some of the world's greatest instrumentalists and
vocalists.
Performing the music of iconic bands including:
Metallica, AC/DC, Rage Against The Machine, My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park,
SOAD, Guns N Roses, Evanescence, Aerosmith, The Cranberries & MORE!
Japanese Festival
It is the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Japanese Garden in Sertoma Park. We will be celebrating our relationship with our Friendship City, Kanuma, by hosting a Japanese Festival from 1:00-4:00 PM on June 7th. Please join us for free arts and crafts, games, and performances. There will also be two food trucks selling refreshments.
Additionally, there is a drumming class at 1:30, but registration is required. Please consider signing up - it is for all ages - no experience necessary!
Church of Cash
Whether you’ve been raised on the gritty, unforgettable songs of Johnny Cash or you’re just now discovering the power of his music, Church of Cash is a must-see experience. This band doesn’t just play the hits—they live them.
With unmatched energy and a style all their own, Church of Cash brings the music of the Man in Black to life while staying true to the heart of what made it legendary. What sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to preserving the soul of Cash’s songs—the stories of redemption, the struggle of being lost and found, the raw emotions of love and loss, and the haunting beauty of those iconic prison tunes.
With every performance, they don’t just cover Cash—they carry his spirit, inviting audiences to rediscover the music that still moves the world.
ArtFest 2026
This June 6th & 7th, enjoy live music, outdoor food vendors, hands on arts & crafts, and the most talented art vendors of this region! Mark your calendars for a weekend to never forget at ArtFest!
Rydell GMC Presents The Empire's Music Box
The Empire's monthly Music Box features 3 local acts, as well as an open-to-the-public jam at the start of every show. If you're interested in live, local music, the Music Box is the place to be! Come for the music, stay for the good vibes(and the free popcorn).
Doors open at 6:00 PM, open-jam starts at 7:00 PM
The Music Box is one of the only venues in Grand Forks that allows artists to play what they want, and our Music Box stage helps to give any musician a platform to perform, regardless the genre or experience.
2026 Mayor's Choice Artist Award Reception
You are cordially invited to join us for the 2026 Mayor's Choice Artist Award Reception to honor Greg Vettel.
Hors D'oeuvres & Drinks Provided
Music by Jazz on Tap
Award Presentation at 6:00 PM
Midtown District Mall Craft & Vendor Show
Join us for a spring shopping event with over 40 crafters and vendors all under one roof! You’ll find handmade goods, baked treats, crochet, home décor, and your favorite direct sales vendors including Norwex, Pampered Chef, and Color Street. Perfect time to shop local for Mother’s Day, grad gifts, or just because.
Uncle Louie's Big, Sad Funeral
Everyone is invited to Uncle Louie's Big Sad Funeral on May 15 and 16 at the Empire Arts Center in downtown Grand Forks.
Louis Losino (Louie to friends and enemies) was the proud owner of Concrete Casualties, Inc. He was a long-time member of the Kiwanis Club and an avid golfer and member of the Hoboken Italian-American Social Club. Many children were recipients of "Uncle Louie's" generosity. He was the major booster for the Hoboken Little League team and provided funding to build the new, adaptive playground on Kennedy Blvd, among many other charities and philanthropic endeavors which will surely gain him entrance to heaven.
Audience members are invited to wear black, funeral attire. The show is as interactive as the audience wishes to make it. They can sit back and take in the funeral fun, or engage with the characters.
Live Danish Folk Music with Kristian Bugge and WB Reid
East Grand Forks Campbell Library and North Country Fiddle and Dance present
A concert of Danish music, songs and stories.
KRISTIAN BUGGE, of Copenhagen, Denmark, (fiddle, vocals) and WB REID, of Seattle, ( guitar ) will take you on an entertaining journey through the traditions of Danish folk music with songs and stories in Danish and English, wild polkas, fiery reels, jigs and lyrical waltzes from every corner of Denmark.
Jack Bryan Live
Spend your Thursday night with Jack Bryan at Joe Black's on Thursday, May 14th from 8–11 p.m. Bringing a mix of crowd favorites, acoustic rock, and laid-back energy, Jack always delivers a fun night of live music, good vibes, and singalong moments. Grab some friends, settle in with a drink, and kick off the weekend early with live music at one of downtown’s favorite spots.
River Forks Watercolor Society
Experienced and beginning painters are welcome to join this group of water media painters! Meetings are every second Tuesday of the month!
Ancestral Sounds - Greater Grand Forks Symphony
Get Ancestral Sounds Concert Tickets Now! This is a must see event incorporating indigenous instruments and new technologies! We look forward to seeing you soon!
ArtSee at the North Dakota Museum of Art
ArtSee is completely free and open to the public.
ArtSee is a space for artists of all skills & mediums to share their art. Since the first ArtSee event in 2006, we have brought together hundreds of artists from the greater Grand Forks area to the North Dakota Museum of Art. From painting to word carving, ArtSee is the event of the year for all mediums. ArtSee’s purpose is to create a space for artists to connect with the community and to highlight the creative talent that we have right here in the Greater Grand Forks Region. ArtSee is GGFYP’s way of providing support for the Greater Grand Forks art community.
Jack Bryan Live
Jack Bryan is heading back to the Sin Bin on Thursday, May 7 at 7:30PM. Known for his upbeat energy and engaging stage presence, Jack brings a mix of crowd-favorite covers and original songs that blend folk and pop influences. It’s the perfect way to kick back, enjoy live music, and spend the evening with friends!
City Band Spring Concert
Lights, music… ACTION!
Join the Grand Forks City Band for a night at the movies for a free concert!
Travel from galaxies far, far away to sweeping deserts and unforgettable adventures with music from Star Wars, How to Train Your Dragon, Lawrence of Arabia, Indiana Jones, Schindler’s List, and Pirates of Penzance!
Bring your friends, bring your family, and get ready for an epic cinematic soundtrack experience you won’t want to miss!
Concerts in the Galleries - Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments & New Technoloiges
The Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technologies is an exciting and unusual ensemble of musicians and composers who combine instruments from the past and present as well as ritual theater, masks and dance. Members of the ensemble are former students of the award-winning conductor/composer Alejandro Iglesias Rossi, who founded OIANT in Argentina in 2000 to combine the unique sounds of native instruments of the Americas with European instruments and modern digital technology. All the musicians have built their musical instruments after researching their histories, based, in many cases, on models recovered from archaeological sites. The repertoire includes both traditional folk music and new compositions designed to explore sounds that come from combining technologies of the past and the present.
Jack Bryan Live
Get ready for a great night out—Jack Bryan is hitting the stage at Judy's Tavern on May 1st.
Join us for an evening of live music, good company, and a relaxed atmosphere. Whether you're meeting up with friends or just looking for something to do, it’s the perfect way to kick off your weekend early.
Live music. Cold drinks. A great local crowd.
Muddy Waters Clay Center Annual Spring Show Case
Muddy Waters Clay Center will be holding their annual Spring Show Case on Thursday, April 30th from 1-7pm, May 1st from 3-7pm and Saturday May 2nd from 10am - 4pm. Shop for garden pots and decor, unique gifts, enjoy treats, tours, meet the artists and register for door prizes.
North Country Fiddle and Dance Community Folk Dance
North Country Fiddle and Dance return to Bernie’s Restaurant this Saturday, April 25th! Come enjoy traditional American folk dances, such as reels, barn-dance squares, circle mixers and more! All are welcome!
Our town - UND Theatre
UND Theatre closes its 2025-26 season with Thornton Wilder’s classic, “Our Town.” This Pulitzer Prize-winning play, written in 1938, has been a staple of American theatre since.
“Our Town” is a deceptively simple, deeply moving portrait of life in small-town America at the turn of the 20th century. Narrated by the all-knowing Stage Manager, the play sweeps us through the births, loves and losses of Grover’s Corners’ residents, revealing how life’s seemingly ordinary moments — stringing beans, sharing gossip, walking home from choir — are, in fact, extraordinary.
UND Theatre students, faculty and staff are thankful for your support and look forward to seeing you at Burtness Theatre for the final performance of the season.
Joe Eddie: Live at the Empire
Joe Eddie is a six-string slinger from the north plains Red River
Valley, always busy writing, recording, and performing his melodic,
guitar-laden, hand-crafted songs. A true grassroots troubadour — a
ramblin', gamblin' tumbleweed street flower — Joe has written over 500
songs and multiple books of poetry, while carrying a mental jukebox of
more than 1,000 covers. From fingerpicking sing-alongs to soul-stirring
ballads, from heartache blues to rock 'n roll that shakes the rafters,
Joe Eddie delivers on the promise of a story, one song at a time.
ArtWise Student Art Show
ArtWise will host its Student Art Show exhibiting artwork from K-12 students in public, private and home schools in the Greater Grand Forks area April 18-May 2. The artwork can be viewed in the Midtown District Mall or ArtWise Gallery Monday-Saturday 10:00 am-7:00 pm and Sunday noon-6:00 pm. Family activity days will include Saturday, April 18, noon-4:00, Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24 3:00-7:00, and Saturday, April 25 from noon-5:00.
East Grand Forks Campbell Library - Project Constellation
On April 17th at 12pm, the East Grand Forks Campbell Library will host Project: Constellation for a free public Scandinavian cultural heritage program!
Project: Constellation is a violin/guitar husband and wife duo out of Grand Forks North Dakota.
Half the band is authentically Scandinavian and performs Scandinavian music sung in Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Danish.
Project: Constellation’s Scandinavian music contribution picks up from where most people’s knowledge of the Swedish/Norwegian languages and culture seems to have left off, 1890 - today. Enjoy Swedish and Norwegian Children's songs, Eurovision winners, 80s rock, contemporary, holiday songs, and more!
Concerts in the galleries: The Cavatina Duo
The Cavatina Duo has become one of the most impressive combinations of its kind in the world. “Style, sympathy, and technical aplomb . . . it's doubtful that the Cavatina's sophisticated and artistic playing could be surpassed.” —Fanfare Magazine
NDMOA: Gallery Talk, Workshop, and Drawing Session with SHOCK UC MSK
Renowned graffiti artist SHOCK UC MSK is featured in this exhibition with several mixed-media works produced with found materials from an abandoned flour mill. Many of these works bear the expressive and colorful mark-making that can be found in his graffiti work. An additional section of the exhibition features selected Blackbooks and sketchbooks from SHOCK’S personal archive as well as strikingly designed zines inspired by the setting of the abandoned flour mill.
World Ballet Company - Cinderella
Step into the magical world of Cinderella, live on stage!
The beloved fairy tale comes to life in a spectacular Broadway-style production that delights all ages, blending humor, romance, and the timeless majesty of classical ballet.
World Ballet Company’s Cinderella features a dazzling cast of 40 international dancers, over 150 radiant hand-sewn costumes, exquisite hand-crafted sets, and enchanting choreography by Marina Kesler. From the mischievous evil stepsisters to the breathtaking ballroom scenes, every moment is filled with charm, wonder and everything you’ve loved about this story for years.
Join us for an unforgettable journey of magic, beauty, and the promise of "happily ever after." But remember, when the clock strikes midnight, everything will change…
Dogmahal: Zine Meetup
Enjoy a free event for zine and indie comic creators of all skill levels to meet and collaborate! Bring something you're working on or start something new. If you're interested in learning, there will be supplies and creative prompts to make yourself an easy, six page zine.
What is a Zine? Zines (short for fanzines) are DIY, self-published, small-circulation booklets (often photocopied) that provide a platform for niche, personal, or marginalized voices.
NDMOA: Family Day - Earth Moves
Family Day is a day where children of all ages and their accompanying adults come together to create, design, and construct. Each month, guests will explore new art techniques and materials inspired by the exhibitions that fill the galleries. Drop in or stay the entire time. There is no admission, although donations to cover materials are always welcome. Parking is free.
NDMoA: Curator Tours
Join Museum Curator Anna for an engaging tour of the current exhibitions. The tour is designed to provide insightful context to the artwork, but also to invite discussion and questions. Tours are free and open to the public.
North Country Fiddle and Dance Community Folk Dance
Live Music with Four Mile Portage, from Duluth! All join in, all ages are welcome; families, couples, singles
Traditional American folk dances: Reels, barn -dance squares, circle mixers and more...
All dances are taught and easy to learn!
Donations at the door
Jack Bryan Live at the Sin Bin - Spring Fling Show
Get ready for another unforgettable night—Jack Bryan is back at the Sin Bin on Friday, March 20th.
Known for his high-energy sets and crowd-favorite mixes, Jack Bryan brings a dynamic blend of sound that keeps the crowd engaged night long. Whether you’ve seen him before or this is your first time, you won’t want to miss the electric atmosphere he creates.
Grab your friends, plan your night out, and join us at the Sin Bin for great music, great vibes, and a packed house.