South Dakota Art Museum announces Anderson Plaza Summer Performance Series

The South Dakota Art Museum invites the community to gather for evenings of live music, family-friendly activities and summer fun during the Anderson Plaza Summer Performance Series. The free outdoor concert series takes place Tuesday evenings in July on Anderson Plaza, located behind the museum on the South Dakota State University campus.

Each event begins at 6 p.m., with live music from 6:30-8 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and a picnic and enjoy yard games, bubble machines, cold treats and a welcoming community atmosphere.

"The Anderson Plaza Summer Performance Series brings people together through music, creativity and shared experiences," shared Abigail Ramsbottom-Cuevas, the museum’s curator of education. "We are excited to welcome audiences of all ages to enjoy summer evenings filled with outstanding regional musicians and community connection."

The series kicked off July 7 with Paddywhack, a trio performing traditional folk music from Ireland and the British Isles. Band members Chris Sayre, Terry Keefe and David Marsh performed everything from acapella sea shanties and Irish pub sing-alongs to traditional jigs, reels, hornpipes and waltzes.

The rest of the 2026 Anderson Plaza Summer Performance Series lineup includes:

July 14 | Brass Holes

The Brass Holes take the stage with what they describe as "a unique and baffling blend of brass band and rock and roll bravado." Their energetic performances combine the power of a brass ensemble with the excitement and attitude of rock music, creating a lively outdoor concert experience for audiences of all ages.

July 21 | Jarana

Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, Jarana brings energetic, danceable music that blends South American musical traditions, Mexican folk music and Latin dance rhythms.

Founded in 2009 by Daniel Martinez, Jarana draws inspiration from Flamenco, Rumba, Salsa and other global influences while incorporating authentic traditional instruments. The band's name, pronounced "HAH-RAH-nah," refers to a gathering where people of all ages come together to celebrate.

Band members from Peru, Mexico and the United States contribute a variety of cultural influences that create a vibrant and family-friendly performance experience.

July 28 | JAS Quintet with Jami Lynn

Closing the series is the JAS Quintet with special guest Jami Lynn. The Sioux Falls-based JAS Quintet is a five-piece instrumental ensemble specializing in original jazz compositions and classic standards from throughout the jazz age.

Lynn, a South Dakota musician known for her original folk music, began performing at age 13 and continues to share her love of folk and bluegrass traditions through performances across the region. Accompanying herself on clawhammer banjo and fingerstyle guitar, she performs as a solo artist, with the JAS Quintet, and as one half of the folk duo The Nesters.

In addition to performing, Lynn serves communities throughout South Dakota through the South Dakota State Arts Council's Artists in the Schools and Communities and Touring Artist programs.

The Anderson Plaza Summer Performance Series is made possible through the generous support of Lynn and Diane Anderson, Jack Stengel, David and Patricia Meyer, The Brookings Beacon newspaper and Travel South Dakota. As a unit of South Dakota State University, the South Dakota Art Museum receives significant operational support from the university. Additional operational support is provided by the South Dakota Arts Council (with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts) and museum members and donors.

All Anderson Plaza Summer performances are free and open to the public. Anderson Plaza is located behind the South Dakota Art Museum at 1036 Medary Ave. on the SDSU campus in Brookings.

For more information, contact the South Dakota Art Museum at 605-688-5423 or visit the museum website.