Whether you’re a seasoned Orchestra patron, or a student who loves country crooners, Grand Forks has lots of live music options for you.
Orchestra Music
- Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra (GGFSO)
For anyone wanting to be moved by music, the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra is a treat! Each season, they deliver four breathtaking concerts featuring both classic and modern orchestral works. This team of musicians features seasoned and up-and-coming talent from across the region. Each of them is devoted to giving the Grand Forks area the gift of music. A GGFSO concert is the perfect date opportunity for anyone seeking to expand their musical horizons. Concerts are performed at East Grand Forks Senior High School and the Masonic Center. - NVYO Music in Bloom
Northern Valley Youth Orchestra (NVYO) inspires the next generation of musicians. Each spring, the youth orchestra performs at All Seasons Garden Center for Music in Bloom. Hearing the sonic melodies while sitting in Mother Nature’s beauty is truly a perfect way to start spring! I enjoy supporting our youngest musicians while thinking of all the vegetables and flowers I want to plant in my garden.
Jazz Music
- University of North Dakota’s Jazz Ensembles Concert
The University of North Dakota Jazz Ensembles Concert showcases some of the rockin’ rhythms of the university’s students. Sultry saxophones and big brass make for a lively evening at the Chester Fritz Auditorium each spring. - Jazz on Tap
Patrons at Ely’s Ivy are served dinner with a side of toe-tapping tunes. Jazz on Tap plays on a Wednesday evening, once a month. It’s delightful to have a couple of drinks with friends while the music plays. The trio is comprised of Bob Cary, Kris Eylands and Mike Blake. Jazz on Tap’s free monthly concerts can help you get over the midweek slump!
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Choral Music
- Grand Forks Chorales
The most vibrant voices in the Northern Valley are featured in the Grand Forks Chorales. Listening to the rich, lush harmonies fills my spirit with joy. Each of the singers auditions for their place in the choirs. The Grand Forks Chorales have been giving Grand Forks the gift of high-quality choral music for more than three decades. You can expect concerts each fall, winter and spring.
Click here for more the Grand Forks Chorales schedule!
Summer Concerts
- Blues on the Red
Blues On the Red brings a big sound to Town Square Park each summer. The Downtown Development Association revived the event after receiving feedback from the community. Blues on the Red offers some of the biggest blues bands in the region right here in our hometown. Bring your bag chair and watch a great concert for the community each June! - Hot Valley Nights
Hot Valley Nights brings the heat during a sizzling part of summer! The two-day festival in East Grand Forks features a mix of local and regional acts along with big names from across the nation. Listen to country crooners each summer. - Northwood Performing Arts Council – Concert in Summer
The Northwood Performing Arts Council brings a ton of talent to the Northern Valley each year. Previous performers have included John C. Reilly and The Fabulous Armadillos. The Northwood Performing Arts Council hosts a series of summer concerts to elevate your evenings. - Downtown Horns
Each summer, the Downtown Horns perform in smaller towns across the region. Whether they’re getting wild in Warren or turning up the volume in Thief River Falls, you are sure to have a great time. There isn’t a set schedule each year, so be sure to follow the Downtown Horns on social media.
Want information on Grand Forks Downtown Parking? Click here!
Whatever kind of music you’re into, there are live performances in the Grand Forks area year-round. Live music is a gift that connects us all to the greater melodies of life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
About The Author
How’s it going? My name is Kenneth Chase. I was born into a military family in Hawaii and have lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, Devils Lake and East Grand Forks. I originally moved here to be closer to family and to live out my dreams of being a television reporter. Now that time has passed, I work at Altru in public relations. I love to walk my rescue dog Moira (Yes, she’s named after Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek) on the Greenway and support all of the arts events and organizations in town. I’m also on the Downtown Development Association where I volunteer for major events including the street fair and HollyDazzle. The Grand Forks area feels more like home than any other place I’ve lived. Feel free to say hi if you see us on the Greenway!
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