Grandma's Marathon 2026 'Rock The Bayfront' Music Lineup

The 2026 running of Grandma's Marathon is a big one, marking the 50th edition of this huge Northern Minnesota event.

With the three races of Grandma's Marathon weekend selling out in record time, the golden anniversary of the race is sure to be a big one!

One of the biggest non-running traditions of the weekend for many years has been live music. Once known as "Rock the Bigtop" when it was hosted in a bigtop tent in a parking lot in Canal Park, the event has undergone a rebranding to "Rock the Bayfront" after moving to Duluth's Bayfront Festival Park after the 2020 pandemic.

Organizers for Grandma's Marathon are going big for this year's Rock The Bayfront, announcing a total of 10 Minnesota-based bands that will take the stage over the course of Grandma's Marathon Weekend.

Live music will be heard both Friday and Saturday night, with a great Minnesota-grown lineup both days.

Most notable of these Minnesota-connected acts are the widely popular indie rock act Hippo Campus and Soul Asylum, best known for their 1993 hit "Runaway Train".

The event's marketing & PR director, Zach Schneider, said they were "searching for acts that felt authentic to who we are and reflective of where we come from" as they planned this year's music lineup.

He explained the unique makeup of the lineup, saying, “Bringing several Minnesota-based bands with different but complementary styles will make for an energetic and welcoming lineup for participants across all generations.”

Who is playing at Grandma's Marathon Rock The Bayfront this year? Here's the lineup:

2026 Grandma's Marathon Rock The Bayfront Music Lineup & Schedule

Nick Cooper - TSM Duluth

Friday, June 19, 2026

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm – GB Leighton
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Hippo Campus

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Saturday, June 20, 2026

9:00 am – 10:30 am – Boxcar
11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Not Fade Away: A Tribute to The Grateful Dead
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – The Slamming Doors
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Charlie Parr
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Mid Dream
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Emily Haavik & The 35s
8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – The Music of Prince (featuring former members of The New Power Generation)
10:30 pm – 11:45 pm – Soul Asylum

While we wait for the arrival of this year's Grandma's Marathon Weekend, here's a look back at last year:

2025 Grandma's Marathon & Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon Photos

After strong thunderstorms overnight, this year's races started a half hour later than originally scheduled. While some clouds and fog kept things relatively cool early in the races, humidity and warmer temperatures quickly took hold with the full marathon underway.

Despite that, history was made with the first American winning Grandma's Marathon since 2009. He is also the first person to have ever won both Garry Bjorklnd Half Marathon (which he did in 2023) and Grandma's Marathon this year.

Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper - TSM Duluth

Source: Grandma’s Marathon Announces Big ‘Rock The Bayfront’ Plans For 50th Anniversary