Vintage Band Festival 2026 (VBF 2026) will take place Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 2, 2026. This year’s festival will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this annual Northfield, Minnesota tradition.
The roster of bands will include ensembles from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Washington D.C., Florida and Europe. Two European bands will be performing: Moritz & Co., a brass septet from Austria and Original Drachenfelser Musikanten, a brass quartet from Germany.
There will be two stages at VBF 2026, the main stage in Bridge Square and a second stage in Central Park. Performances on Thursday and Friday will be in Bridge Square and performances on Saturday and Sunday will take place in both locations. The start times for the concerts will be staggered by ½ hour so that folks can sample both bands during the same hour if they so choose!
On Friday morning in Central Park there will be a living history pageant celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, beginning with a recognition of the native people that preceded the arrival of European colonists. Spoken word performances of several significant historical documents and speeches beginning with the Declaration of Independence have been planned. Musical performances will include the Civil War period of band music and World War I, with a performance by the renowned American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Band, under the auspices of The Doughboy Foundation of Washington D.C. The Northfield Suffragette Singers will sing several songs from the early 20th century period of women’s right- to-vote activism.
Saturday at noon on both sides of the Cannon River in downtown Northfield a Battle of the Bands will occur. VBF 2026 bands will be placed on both sides of the river and perform period songs from the 19th century in a round robin sequence. Spectators may position themselves on either side of the river to enjoy this spectacular musical experience.
Evenings in Bridge Square will be lively with salsa music from La Clave Orchestra and K-Libre 24, the Brass Messengers, McNasty Brass Band, Too Darn Hot, and the swing band MN Jazz Orchestra. Fireworks will follow the conclusion of music on Saturday evening. Look for additional performances at the VFW Hall, The Grand Event Center and downtown pubs. On Sunday morning a number of VBF 2026 bands will provide special music at local church services.
Be sure to follow Vintage Band Festival on Facebook and www.vintagebandfestival.org for the complete schedule of events and updates as they happen.
