Jimmy Jam + Terry Lewis Will Lead A Star-Studded Celebration Of The ‘Minneapolis Sound’ At This Year’s Minnesota State Fair

A sound largely defined by the legendary musician Prince and a handful of other acts will be on full display at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair as a couple of pioneers of "The Minneapolis Sound" lead a huge celebration of the iconic sound of the 1980s.

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will be leading a "Celebration of the Minneapolis Sound" featuring several artists from the era and others influenced by the genre at the State Fair Grandstand this August.

With more than 40 Billboard chart-topping hits and numerous gold, platinum, and diamond records as writers and producers, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis had a role in shaping the sound of Prince, Janet & Michael Jackson, New Edition, George Michael, Mariah Carey, and numerous others during their incredible career.

Joining the iconic duo for this star-studded performance at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair Grandstand is a long list of special guests, which includes:

• Johnny Gill
• Ralph Tresvant
• Morris Day & Jerome Benton of The Time
• Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block
• Yolanda Adams
• Stokley
• Ann Nesby & Sounds of Blackness
• Ruben Studdard
• Shanice Wilson

This fun show celebrating an iconic part of Minnesota music history will be on Saturday, August 29, at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand. The show will start at 7 pm.

Tickets for this show go on sale via the Minnesota State Fair website starting on Friday, May 8 a6 10 am.

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The addition of this show, led by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, nearly fills out the 2026 Grandstand roster. The only date with no entertainment announced as of today is the final day of the fair, which is Monday, September 7. We'll keep you updated on when details for that final date are announced.

In the meantime, here's the full schedule of everything announced for the 2026 Grandstand series: