ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minneapolis Sound is coming home, and two of the architects behind it are bringing an all-star lineup with them.
Legendary producers and songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will take over the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand on Saturday, August 29, 2026, for “Homecoming: A Celebration of the Minneapolis Sound.”
The three-hour musical celebration will bring together artists whose careers, songs and signature sounds have been connected to the Grammy-winning duo’s more than four decades of influence in R&B, pop, funk and gospel music.
The updated lineup includes:
- Bell Biv DeVoe
- Johnny Gill
- Morris Day and Jerome Benton of The Time
- Mint Condition, reuniting with Stokley
- Yolanda Adams
- Force MDs
- Chanté Moore
- Ann Nesby and Sounds of Blackness
- Shanice Wilson
- Ruben Studdard
- Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block
Additional surprise appearances are also possible. Bell Biv DeVoe was added to the lineup in place of the previously announced Ralph Tresvant.
One of the evening’s biggest developments is the reunion of Mint Condition with lead singer Stokley Williams. The Minneapolis-based band confirmed that its members will reunite for the special performance, bringing the story full circle more than three decades after Jam and Lewis helped introduce the group to the world through their Perspective Records label.
The concert is designed to celebrate music that was created in Minnesota but ultimately heard around the world.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis first developed their musical partnership as teenagers in Minneapolis before becoming members of The Time. After leaving the group, they formed Flyte Tyme Productions and built one of the most successful songwriting and production partnerships in music history.
Their work helped shape landmark recordings by Janet Jackson, New Edition, Johnny Gill, Mariah Carey, Usher, Boyz II Men, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, Sounds of Blackness, Yolanda Adams and numerous others.
The duo has earned 42 No. 1 Billboard hits and contributed to more than 100 gold, platinum and diamond albums. Their honors include multiple Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
For Jimmy Jam, performing at the State Fair represents a personal homecoming.
“I’ve been attending the Minnesota State Fair every year since I was a kid, so returning home to perform this year is a dream come true,” Jam said in the concert announcement.
Terry Lewis described the experience as musical time travel, celebrating songs that became international hits after being created in Minnesota.
The performance will mark the first time Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have headlined the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand. The show also arrives two years after their 2024 Taste of Minnesota homecoming performance and follows their sold-out 2026 residency at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
Event Details
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Homecoming: A Celebration of the Minneapolis Sound
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, 1265 Snelling Avenue North, Falcon Heights, Minnesota
Reserved seating: $64 to $98.75
Party Deck seating: $84 to $97.75
Ticket prices include the State Fair facility fee. Additional service fees may apply to online and telephone orders. Tickets are available through Etix.
The Minnesota State Fair runs August 27 through September 7, 2026. Fairgrounds admission is separate unless specifically included with a ticket or promotional package.
For one Saturday night, the Grandstand will become a living celebration of the artists, voices and records that established Minneapolis as one of the most influential music cities in the world.
Sources: Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota Star Tribune, FOX 9, Visit Saint Paul
