Rock the Garden
Rock the Garden is an annual summer music festival organized by the Walker Art Center and Minnesota Public Radio held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Launched by the Walker in 1998, the event has been cosponsored by 89.3 The Current and Minnesota Public Radio since 2008, becoming more of an indie rock festival. Since its founding, Rock the Garden has highlighted national artists such as Wilco, Sonic Youth, David Byrne, MGMT, De La Soul, My Morning Jacket, Spoon, Bon Iver, and The Decemberists, and featured a diverse range of local bands like Low, Doomtree, Fog, Iffy, Cloud Cult, Howler, and Trampled By Turtles.Lineups
1998
- Hot Head Swing Band
- The Jayhawks
2000
- Sunship Sextet
- Stereolab
- Sonic Youth
2002
- Iffy
- Marc Ribot and Los Cubanos Postizos
- Medeski Martin & Wood
2003
- Fog
- The Bad Plus
- Wilco
2004
- Barbara Cohen
- Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra
- David Byrne
2008
Rock the Garden 2008 was held on June 21.
- Bon Iver
- Cloud Cult
- The New Pornographers
- Andrew Bird
2009
Rock the Garden 2009 was held on June 19 and featured a new stage location facing the hill instead of the street.
- Solid Gold
- Yeasayer
- Calexico
- The Decemberists
2010
Rock the Garden 2010 was held on June 19.
- Retribution Gospel Choir
- OK Go
- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- MGMT
2011
Rock the Garden 2011 was held on June 18.
- Tapes 'n Tapes
- Booker T. Jones
- Neko Case
- My Morning Jacket
2012
Rock the Garden 2012 was held on June 16.
- Howler
- Tune-Yards
- Doomtree
- Trampled by Turtles
- The Hold Steady
2013
Rock the Garden 2013 was held on June 15.
- Dan Deacon
- Low
- Bob Mould
- Silversun Pickups
- Metric
2014
Rock the Garden 2014 was held on June 21 and June 22.
Saturday
- Lizzo
- Jeremy Messersmith
- Best Coast
- Matt & Kim
- De La Soul
Sunday
- Valerie June
- Kurt Vile and The Violators
- Dessa
- Guided By Voices
- Spoon
2015
Rock the Garden 2015 was held on June 20 and June 21.
Saturday
- thestand4rd
- Lucius
- Courtney Barnett
- Conor Oberst
- Belle and Sebastian
Sunday
Rock the Garden 2016 was held June 18 at Boom Island Park.
- Plague Vendor
- GRRRL PRTY
- Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
- Hippo Campus
- M. Ward
- Poliça
- Chance the Rapper
- The Flaming Lips
2017
Rock the Garden 2017 was held July 22 in the newly renovated Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
- Bon Iver
- The Revolution
- Benjamin Booker
- Car Seat Headrest
- Margaret Glaspy
- Dead Man Winter
- Bruise Violet
- Dwynell Roland
2018
Rock the Garden 2018 was held on June 16.
- Father John Misty
- Low Cut Connie
- Chastity Brown
- U.S. Girls
- Nikki Lane
- Kamasi Washington
- P.O.S
- Feist
2019
Rock the Garden 2019 was held on June 29.
- The National
- Courtney Barnett
- X
- Heart Bones
- Bad Bad Hats
- Dem Atlas
- Adia Victoria
- The Beths
2020
Rock the Garden 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The original lineup was announced as follows:
- Tegan and Sara
- Brittany Howard
- Poliça
- Joseph
- Jay Som
- Altın Gün
- Dua Saleh
- Gully Boys