24 Minnesota music acts to see for free at the State Fair

Tasting new Minnesota-made food and drinks is a big thing at the State Fair. Why not sample new music from around the state, too?

Dozens of homegrown acts perform all 12 days of the fair on various stages, most of them booked two days in a row in the same timeslots. The talent bookers there do a blue-ribbon job curating a fun mix every year that represents Minnesota’s growing diversity while also honoring long-standing favorites.

This year, you could just plant yourself at the Schell’s Stage at West End for some of the best in local music. And there’s good stuff at the International Bazaar and Leinie’s Lodge Bandshell (in addition to all the nonlocal talent offered on those free stages). Here are four picks each day among the Minnesotans.

Tina Schlieske & Friends: She raised Springsteen-like fervor in the Twin Cities music scene in the ‘90s with Tina & the B-Sides. In more recent years, the roof-rattling singer has branched out into jazz standards, feminist punk-rock and fun stuff in between. Somehow this is her first State Fair gig. (8 p.m., Schell’s Stage at West End)

The New Primitives: Minneapolis drummer Stanley Kipper and his sun-baked reggae and funk group have played with the Neville Brothers and Mickey Hart. They dropped a new album just ahead of the fair, “Primitive Road,” produced by Bonnie Raitt’s guitarist George Marinelli. (3:15, 4:30 & 5:45 p.m., International Bazaar)

Clare Doyle: Fresh off wowing them at the Turf Club’s annual Shania Twain tribute, this St. Paul native spent time honing her craft in New Orleans and returned home during the pandemic to become one of the rising stars of the Twin Cities’ thriving Americana/alt-twang scene. (12:30, 1:30 & 2:30 p.m., West End)

Church of Cash: A different kind of morning “church” service, this full-time tribute band is made up of local music vets who play Johnny Cash tunes year-round and should rise to the challenge of rising so early to help jumpstart this year’s music lineup. (10:30 & 11:45 a.m., Leinie Lodge Bandshell)

Mae Simpson: With her southern roots planted in her sound, this South Carolina native and her jammy, funk- and soul-infused rock band made good on all their hard gigging and songwriting work with last year’s bursting album “Chandelier & Bloom.” (8 p.m., West End)

Rumba Nueva: Dominican and Puerto Rican ballplayers like Jhoan Duran and Carlos Correa are among our favorite Twins nowadays, so Minnesotans should have extra incentive to also celebrate the music being imported from those countries. This band of D.R. transplants has been playing traditional Latino dance music here for two decades. (3:15, 4:30 & 5:45 p.m., International Bazaar)

Tropical Zone Orchestra: One of the Twin Cities’ best-known Latino dance groups, this 11-piece big band is largely rooted in Puerto Rico traditions and plays a variety of salsas, merengues, cumbias and boleros. Here’s an annual reminder that salsa dancing is a great way to work off those fair carbs. (8 p.m., International Bazaar)

High & Rising: Actually from western Wisconsin, this fun bluegrass quartet led by singer/bassist Laura Farley has planted enough roots in Minnesota to be counted as locals. They have a new Grateful Dead tribute album recorded at the legendary Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls. (12:30, 1:30 & 2:30 p.m., West End)

L.A. Buckner & Big Homie: This North Side drummer and bandleader turned heads when he topped the iTunes jazz chart during the pandemic. He’s been making heads bob all around town since then with his funky troupe, infusing African, hip-hop and R&B influences. (8 p.m., West End)

The Scarlet Goodbye: After each achieved success over three decades with other collaborators, folk-rocker Jeff Arundel and Golden Smog/ex-Soul Asylum guitarist and co-vocalist Daniel Murphy found a new spark working together on songs during lockdown. Their wistful new tune, “Speedway,” shows they’re not slowing down. (4, 5 & 6 p.m., West End)

iLLism: Why aren’t there more boy/girl duos in hip-hop? Married partners Fancy Lanier-Duncan and Emmanuel Duncan evoke great collaborations by Bey and Jay or Biggie and Faith. They’re leading a tribute to the Minneapolis Sound at the fair with guest appearances by the Time’s Jellybean Johnson, Carolyne Naomi and more. (3:15, 4:30 & 5:45 p.m., International Bazaar)

Robb Henry Trio: Since his western suburbs teen-rocker days with the Surfers in the ‘60s, this guitar ace has played the blues with Mojo Buford and gypsy jazz with the Parisota Hot Club. He offers a little of everything to showcase his elegant picking talent with his trio. (12:30, 1:30 & 2:30 p.m., West End)

The Cedar Cultural Center Presents the Global Get-Together: Organized by Minneapolis’ great nonprofit venue the Cedar Cultural Center — which specializes in world music offerings — this two-day showcase will feature the Celtic folk duo Doolin’ on Aug. 28 and jazz drummer Abinnet Berhanu’s funky Ethiopian music group Ahndenet (translation: Unity) on Aug. 29. (8 p.m., International Bazaar)

Corey Medina & Brothers: Raised in New Mexico’s Navajo Tribal Nation, guitar slinger Medina has become a big player around northern Minnesota, blues fests and Native music circles with his fiery blues-rock band, which recently expanded from a trio to a quartet. (8 p.m., West End)

Maurice Jacox & We Still R: Part of the influential Minneapolis funk ‘n’ soul scene of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Jacox is best known from Willie & the Bees, the Soul Tight Committee, Butanes Soul Revue and lots more. He’s singing soul and R&B classics in this new group. (3:15, 4:30, 5:45 p.m., International Bazaar)

PK Mayo Band: Another great blues offering for the day, Paul “PK Mayo” Mayasich has been mining Delta blues sounds since his days growing up on the Iron Range. He used to back the likes of Big John Dickerson and Big Walter Smith but has long been a bandleader and songwriter in his own big way. (12:30, 1:30 & 2:30 p.m., West End)

First Avenue Goes to the Fair: Back for a fifth year, the revue showcases the legendary Minneapolis rock club’s rising stars and past favorites, all backed by an Al Church-led house band. The Aug. 30 cast features Yam Haus’ Lars Pruitt, the Foxgloves, Fanaka Nation, Student 1 and members of Pit Stop. On Aug. 31 you’ll see the Mood Swings’ Ashley Ackerson, Pop Wagner, Reiki, Ava Levy and Anderson Daniels. (8 p.m., West End)

DiaToti: A stylish Minneapolis singer, dancer and storyteller with Congolese roots, Lidia Sanguma is making a new name for herself with her unique blend of African influences and modern hip-hop and R&B, as evidenced by her funky and fun new EP, “Life’s Melody.” (3:15, 4:30 & 5:45 p.m., International Bazaar)

International Reggae All Stars: Their Tuesday night gigs at Bunker’s in Minneapolis keep music fans warm all winter, especially with their annual Bob Marley birthday tributes. In summer, Jamaica native Lynval Jackson and his veteran crew are even more of a breezy delight. (8 p.m., International Bazaar)

Molly Brandt and Sarah Morris: Classic country station BOB-FM has modern pickers performing on its stage daily at 3 p.m., including two of Minnesota’s best alt-twangy songwriters on back-to-back days. The rockier Brandt performs Aug. 30 previewing her new album, “American Saga,” while the folkier Morris plays Aug. 31 after winning critical praise and a regional award with her 2023 LP, “Here’s to You.” (3 p.m., BOB FM Stage)

Semisonic: It’s become an unofficial tradition having Minnesota rock royalty headline the Leinie’s Bandshell on the fair’s closing days (see also: Soul Asylum, the Jayhawks), and these “Closing Time” hitmakers seemed the next logical choice. Grammy-winning pop craftsman Dan Wilson and his bandmates have a lot of infectious new tunes to play off last year’s “Little Bit of Sun” alongside their ‘90s favorites. (7:30 p.m., Bandshell)

Laamar: Soothingly voiced north Minneapolis folk picker Geoffrey Lamar Wilson is the local music scene’s most buzzed-about new singer/songwriter, after he movingly addressed his hometown’s reckoning with racial issues on his neo-twangy debut EP, “Flowers.” His newer tunes are broader but equally poetic. (4, 5 & 6 p.m. West End)

Monroe Crossing: A clever but traditional quartet named after Bill Monroe, these Twin Cities bluegrass stalwarts are a perfect fit for the Sunday morning slot after they held down gospel brunch duties at the Aster Cafe for many years. (10:30 & 11:45 a.m., Bandshell)

Faith Boblett: The second-generation Twin Cities rocker earned Current radio play and a critical buzz with her angsty pandemic EP, “Take Care,” and she continues to raise a lot of hellfire with her killer live band. (12:30, 1:30, 2:30 p.m., West End)