Rochester, MN
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201 4th St. SE
Suite 170
Rochester, MN 55901
Phone: 507-328-2200
TTY/TDD: More Information
Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Riverside Music Series
Live Music. Big Names. No Tickets.
Est. 1992
Thank you to the thousands of fans, the musicians, and our partners who made the 2025 season unforgettable!
Save the dates - we'll be back in July and August 2026 with another five weeks of free concerts in the park. Lineup announcement coming spring 2026.
For more than 30 years, the Riverside Music Series has brought big-name bands and big summer energy to Mayo Park on Sunday nights.
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Planning Your Visit
At the Park
Activities & Extras
Getting Involved & Guidelines
Highlights from 2025
- Family activities: New in 2025, guests could stop by the Rochester Art Center’s patio for low-key, drop-in fun. Each week included a rotating mix of bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and other kid-friendly play items.
- First-time performers: All five headliners were new to the Riverside stage this year, including Blind Melon, Caylee Hammack, and Hoobastank.
Follow @rochesterpublicmusic on Instagram or Rochester Public Music on Facebook for updates.
Jake Shimabukuro
- Date: 11/05/2016 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
- Location: Mayo Civic Center - Presentation Hall
30 Civic Center Dr. SE
Rochester, Minnesota 55904
- Intro Text Jake Shimabukuro has redefined the musical possibilities of the ukulele, drawing comparisons to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, and Miles Davis in his innovative approach to the instrument. He effortlessly mixes jazz, rock, classical, traditional Hawaiian music, and folk, creating a sound that’s technically masterful, emotionally powerful, and utterly unique in the music world. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Schubert’s Ave Maria and Cohen’s Hallelujah. His career skyrocketed when a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube with more than 13 million views, opening the rest of the world’s eyes to Jake and his unique playing style. He has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart numerous times. Jake has been the subject of an award winning documentary “Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings,” currently on Netflix.
- Ticket Url ?navid=1557
- Artist Website URL http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/
Standard Tickets - $32
Riverside Concerts Member Tickets (10% discount) - $29
ON SALE DATES:
Monday, August 8 (Members Only - available only through Riverside Concerts in City Hall)
Monday, August 15 (General Public)
Riverside Concerts presents JAKE SHIMABUKURO on Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 PM in the Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall.
Jake began his music career in the mid-90’s, performing at local coffee shops as a sideman with his first band, Pure Heart. But Jake’s solo career began in 2002 when he signed with Epic Records, becoming the first ukulele player to sign with Sony Music. While his well-received solo releases positioned Jake as an established musician in Hawaii and Japan, his career skyrocketed when a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube with more than 13 million views, opening the rest of the world’s eyes to Jake and his unique playing style.
In the years since the YouTube clip aired, Jake has collaborated with an array of artists that include Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Dave Koz, Michael McDonald, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Tommy Emmanuel, and Lyle Lovett – as well as orchestras around the world. He’s sold out world-class venues, played at Bonnaroo, SXSW, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, the influential TED conference, and even performed for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, England.
He has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart numerous times, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine, which also stated: “one of the hottest axemen of the past few years doesn’t actually play guitar.” He has also won accolades from the disparate likes of Eddie Vedder who states: “Jake is taking the instrument to a place that I can’t see anybody else catching up with;” been talked about by Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wowed audiences on national TV with appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Good Morning America,” and “The Today Show,” and along the way has earned comparisons to musical innovators such as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. Jake has been the subject of an award winning documentary “Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings,” currently on Netflix.
Known for his energetic strumming on the ukulele, Jake’s performance incorporates elements of thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements to spontaneous, improvised passages. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Schubert’s Ave Maria and Cohen’s Hallelujah. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jake’s life has always centered on the ukulele. He started playing at the age of four, urged by his mother who also played.
Listen and watch
Listen to the 2025 Season Sampler: Relive 2025's lineup with our curated Spotify playlist.
Alumni Playlist
Explore the artists who’ve helped shape Riverside over the years with our curated Spotify mix.
What is the Riverside Music Series?
This short video captures the spirit of the series.
Additional information
See below for answers to frequently asked questions.
Supporters & Partners
The Riverside Music Series is funded primarily by the City of Rochester. Support from sponsors, funders, and community partners helps us grow the series, welcome more people, and keep the music free and accessible for all.
2026 sponsorship opportunities are now available. Visit our Supporters & Partners page or email publicmusic@rochestermn.gov to learn more.
2025 Funding Partners
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Title Sponsor since 2008
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Grant Support
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
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2025 Media Partners
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Minnesota 97.5
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Quick Country 96.5
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Y-105 FM
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2025 Family Activity Partner
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Rochester Art Center
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City Partners
We’re also grateful to Rochester Parks & Recreation, Rochester Public Works, the Rochester Police Department, and the Mayo Civic Center for their partnership and support.