X Games Minneapolis
Aug. 1-4: Big air, big rails, big names. Downtown Minneapolis will again become Shredville as the adrenaline junkies of the X Games descend on Mill City for the third year. This year also boasts the airborne festival's best-ever music lineup, with the Wu-Tang Clan, Diplo, Incubus balancing the skate, BMX and motocross spectacle. Wu-Tang is celebrating 25 years of "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)," and its Aug. 2 concert at the Armory (with Minneapolis opener P.O.S.) is the very last stop on its reunion tour. (Games at U.S. Bank Stadium; music at the Armory, Mpls. $22-$185 general admission; xgames.com/minneapolis.)
Jerard Fagerberg
Minnesota Fringe Festival
Aug. 1-11: In theaters around Minneapolis, the Fringe brings together touring acts, local favorites and Bob from accounting making his first foray into performance. The addictive part is chatting with other Fringe-goers and watching audience reviews pour in online, because you truly never know which of more than 130 shows will be hits. With experimental dance pieces, off-the-cuff comedy, nerdy parodies, improvisational musicals, juggling feats and poignant dramas, there's a bit of something for everyone. The kid-friendly Family Fringe runs July 26-28 and Aug. 2-4. (minnesotafringe.org.)
Sheila Regan
Willie Nelson
Aug. 2: At 85, the country legend is on the road again with Trigger, his trusty ol' battered guitar, jazzy vocal phrasing and a jukebox full of classics including "Nightlife" and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain." The redheaded stranger has recorded an impressive series of albums of late, including "Last Man Standing" and "God's Problem Child," as well as the totally Willie-esque single "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die." Opening is angelic-voiced bluegrass great Alison Krauss. (Target Center, Mpls. $39.50-$250, axs.com.)
JON BREAM
OPEN STREETS Minneapolis
Throughout the summer, Minneapolis blocks traffic and builds community with its roving Open Streets festivals. Local businesses and organizations open their doors to serve and educate neighbors. Learn about the cultures and history of each neighborhood and how they've changed over the years. Expect food from local restaurants, cultural performances, exhibits and demonstrations. (Lyndale: June 2. Lake & Minnehaha: July 21. Northeast: Aug. 4. Franklin: Aug. 25. University of Minnesota: Sept. 8. West Broadway: Sept. 14. Nicollet: Sept. 22. Free, openstreetsmpls.org.)
Melissa Walker
Queen + Adam Lambert
Aug. 10: Thanks to last year's hugely popular biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Rami Malek's Oscar-winning performance as Freddie Mercury, Queen is having another renaissance. And this one may be bigger than the band's boost from "Wayne's World" in 1992. Since 2012, Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor have teamed with histrionic "American Idol" hero Lambert for concerts to reprise "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "We Are the Champions" and all those Mercury-fueled hits. (Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul. Sold out, ticketmaster.com.)
J.B.
Festival of Sail Duluth
Aug. 11-13: Duluth's harbor comes alive as historic tall ships "of yore" make a dramatic tour stop at the world's farthest-inland seaport. After Sunday morning's Grand Parade of Sail, gawk at the vintage watercraft from shore (where food and entertainment will abound), or come aboard for a tour ($14-$27) on the likes of the U.S. Brig Niagara, S/V Denis Sullivan and more. Day sails on the big ships sold out quickly. And since nothing says "maritime history" like a giant inflatable fowl, the World's Largest Rubber Duck is again expected to make an appearance. (Duluth. $10 & up, festofsailduluth.com.)
Simon Peter Groebner
Minnesota State Fair
Aug. 22-Sept. 2: Twenty-five years after "Cracked Rear View," Darius Rucker is back for a Hootie & the Blowfish reunion. After enjoying a commendable country career, he rejoins his mega-selling rock band to kick off the State Fair grandstand concert series, promising new material from their first album in 14 years, due this summer. The rest of the grandstand lineup will feature plenty of old favorites — including Hall & Oates, Lionel Richie, Weird Al Yankovic, Trace Adkins, Tommy James and ZZ Top — as well as such newer faves as Grammy-grabbing Brandi Carlile, rapper Logic and boy band Why Don't We. (mnstatefair.org.)
J.B.
