Take one of your hands, then forcefully smash it against the palm of your other hand.
This is called a “clap,” and it’s going to happen a lot at the 2026 Homegrown Music Festival.
In fact, if you consider that each of the 172 acts at Homegrown this year will likely garner at least 10 moments of applause (ten songs or so for a 45 minute set) and those shows will average about 150 attendees (a low estimate based on a conversation with a long-time Homegrown staffer) and those attendees will probably clap about 12 times during each applause opportunity (an estimate based on a quick poll of festival fans), we get an equation resulting in a product of just over 3 million. Hands will be clapped over 3 million times during Homegrown this year.
And that still seems low, doesn’t it? Well, start counting, because Homegrown is underway!
The first applause of the festival came just after 10:20am on Sunday, April 26thas 218Dance Project – a display of youth dance numbers – concluded their first number. The lobby of the Lake Superior Zoo was packed and nearly unnavigable as young dancers presented tap, classical, and hip-hop routines. Outside, cars overflowed the parking lot into the surrounding neighborhood, a testament to the popularity of this family-friendly Homegrown event.
The showcase featured all kinds of kid favorites-face painting, temporary tattoos, stickers, and of course, Dan the Monkey Man. Surrounded by his kin in the primate building, the popular children's performer played kid-friendly songs and invited youngsters to pick up provided instruments to play along.
The Trinkets were next up in the Zoo’s main building. Initially, the young duo hit a snag with a sound issue, but after a short delay, the shoegaze-meets-nineties alternative sounds were enthusiastically received by an engaged audience. Students from the Music Resource Center followed with a multi-piano presentation that involved improv and new arrangements of classical pieces.
Outside, Sea Smoke Aerial Arts presented choreographed displays based on the themes of love and kindness. Using suspended fabric, young aerialists spun and swung while wowing a robust and responsive outdoor crowd.
Over at Blacklist Brewing Co., Morgan Kohler was live broadcasting for The North 103.3 FM. Pulling double-duty, Morgan was spinning tunes for the Women’s Music Program while taking time for live interviews with Kala Moria, festival committee member and tuba player for the band Winzige Hosen, as well as with local musician Jerree Small who performs in the project Witchfarm this year.
On stage, Scott “Starfire” Lunt officially kicked off the 8-day celebration with his Founder’s Speech. Lunt distributed a trove of squeaky rubber chickens before talking about ‘glimmers’ (the opposite of ‘triggers’) and encouraged finding and providing positivity during Homegrown this year.
Lunt’s toast was followed by an artist who’s played at 25 of the 27 Homegrown Festivals since its inception (it would have been 26 but, the artist sheepishly admitted, he forgot to apply last year). Ryan Van Slooten turned up the volume with plenty of originals, but closed with two crowd-pleasing covers:"In the Meantime" by Spacehog and "Since U Been Gone," the Kelly Clarkson classic, inspiring plenty of boisterous singing-along.
Next at Blacklist, the Gemstones opened their set with an untitled song that was created from the Write a Song Wednesday residency they did at The Cedar Lounge. They announced they are currently working on releasing their album, and kept the crowd dancing with tunes including "Hot and Angry" and "Different Shade of Green."
Sister Veery received an enthusuastic reception for their Homegrown debut at Zeitgeist Teatro, with Molly Hilgenberg leading the band through her piano-driven folk-pop songs while the audience spilled into the aisles.
The Solicitors took the stage at Blacklist at 7pm. This funky 7-piece group displayed power well beyond their years, inspiring chants of "more horn!" during their danceable set that included covers like "In the Stone" from Earth Wind and Fire and "Hypotheticals" by Lake Street Dive. They shared an original tune about miscommunication in relationships titled"Read My Mind" that was written by the lead vocalist, Tyler Railey, as an acoustic tune, but was rearranged for the band.
Zeb or Zeke and the Run Away Screamings (ZOZATRAS for short, the project from the North's own morning host Luke Moravec) ran onto the stage at Carmody's with their best boxer imitation, opening their set with a cover of "Red Right Hand" from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Crowd members were in awe of the one-man band's maneuvers, wondering "how do they play the keys so accurately with the end of their guitar all while also playing the drums?!" Along with covers such as "Take Me On" by A-Ha, ZOZATRAS played originals such as "Haunted House Feeling" which they opened with the line, "The only people who have heard this song is my cats"
Thor & the Regulars were next at Zeitgeist Teatro, fronted by Eveleth musician Thor Leseman, who's previously performed as a solo act. They had copies of their new album on hand as they performed an engaging roots-rock set to a still packed theater. Steve Solkela, who had performed at the Children's Showcase earlier in the day, sat in the front row calling out encouragement to his fellow Iron Range musicians
Back at Blacklist Brewing, The Repairmen’s set veered between classic rock riffs, psychedelic grooves, and country rock punctuated by pedal steel, putting it all together in a satisfying performance.
While Sunday is traditionally New Band Night, it also featured Homegrown veterans. Tim Nelson, who performed in the first Homegrown with Gild and had a brief stint producing the festival, led his band 500MillionSociety through a fun art-rock set at Zeitgest.
Another Homegrown veteran, Tim Kaiser, performed an abbreviated set at Carmody, mesmerizing the crowd with the spacey sounds emanating from his unconventional, self-built instruments.
With Homegrown in its 28th year, it's not uncommon to see the children of musicians who performed in early festivals take the stage. Hypochondriac is one of those bands, fronted by Miles Rorbaugh, whose dad Leon played the very first Homegrown and has continued to be part of the festival ever since. The six-piece group, who got together at the beginning of the year, kicked off the night at Pizza Luce. They opened their set with an original whose tentative title is "Jimmy John's," and also launched into covers including "Red Bone" from Childish Gambino and a hilarious rendition of "Nightman" from the show Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The crowd was having a great time as bubbles filled the air and a balloon got tossed around from person to person.
Towards the end of the night, the Sunday night crowds gradually thinned but the volume amped up across venues. Self-described “bummer metal” band WILBUR set the tone for their hard rocking set with billowing stage smoke. They shouted out their just-released EP ,Joints//Pain,and gave away a t-shirt that said “Sorry we didn’t bring a f@*%$ing banjo,” referencing a longtime Duluth music scene stereotype that there’s an overabundance of bands with banjos. Whether or not the stereotype holds true, half the crowd eagerly raised their hands for a chance to win the shirt.
Down Superior Street at Carmody, Bellerpuss' riffs were equally loud but with a more punk flavor.
Back at Pizza Luce, rockers Vena Sera made their Homegrown debut, managing to get the crowd headbanging while maintaining a chill vibe.
In classic Homegrown Luce fashion, Obleek got the moshing going to end the night, and inspired a fan to jump onstage for a lap around the band a couple of times during the set. They played their only released single, "Choir," which had some audience members singing along.
Coming up, Monday is Craft District Night, with the Homegrown action happening around Lincoln Park, and a dress-up theme of Metallic Monday,
Coverage of the 2026 Duluth Homegrown Music Festival on the North is supported by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and by Music Go Round.
