LAMF Newcomers

Welcome to the Lakes Area Music Festival!
We are so happy you are here.

Whether you're a seasoned concert-goer or experiencing classical music for the first time, we're delighted to have you join us at LAMF. The following information is provided to ensure you have a smooth, enjoyable, and comfortable experience with us.

Before You Arrive

Here at LAMF, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience classical music in the Lakes Area. That is why we offer pay-what-you-can tickets. The average ticket price for a professional symphony or opera company in the U.S., like LAMF, is $50. Our name-your-price model allows you to select an amount that works for you.

Ticket reservations are required at all concerts in our season, with the exception of our casual classics series of outdoor community-based events. Tickets are available via the Minnesota Orchestra box office, available online or by calling 612-371-5656 (Mon-Fri, 10 am to 5 pm).

Our mainstage season concerts are held at the Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts in downtown Brainerd, with the exception of Julia Bullock’s recital held at the Tornstrom Auditorium.

Additional performances are held in community venues across the Lakes Area.

The Gichi-Ziibi is on S 5th St, in Brainerd’s historic downtown. There is no street signage, so it can be easy to miss. The venue is just North of Brainerd High School and behind the Wings Financial Credit Union on S 6th St. Click here for directions.

Ample parking is available in parking lots north of the venue and across the street to the East.

Absolutely! We welcome families and children of all ages to our music festival. It's a wonderful opportunity to introduce young ones to the joys of live music. We offer concerts and events curated for children as part of our season every year. For more information, visit Activities for Kids.

If you would like to bring your child to any other ticketed event, we do ask that parents use their discretion and ensure that their children can enjoy the performances without disrupting others. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a pleasant experience for all attendees.

Not at all! There are no prerequisites for enjoying the music. If you’re here for the first time, we encourage you simply to be curious. What stands out to you? What did you notice? What did you like? What didn’t you like?

If you want to go deeper into the music, we have multiple ways for you to learn more:

Doors open an hour and fifteen minutes before the concert begins. We recommend that patrons arrive at the Gichi-Ziibi center 30-45 minutes before the performance time. Before the concert, you can meet musicians mingling in the lobby, grab a refreshment, or join our pre-concert lecture, beginning one hour before the concert time.

In a quick word – anything! We encourage you to come as you are in a style that makes you feel confident and comfortable. In our audience, you’ll see a wide range of attire, from formal to business to cocktail to casual.

During the Concert

Our LAMF musicians specialize in music written anywhere from the 1600s to today. You may hear the music that filled a 16th-century royal court, or sounds composed this year. What unites it all are the instruments – string instruments, woodwinds, brass, and percussion – and the stylistic traditions.

You can explore further specifics to our concerts on the LAMF website or in the concert program, where you will find program notes to enhance your listening.

Most of our concert programs are between 90 and 120 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission. Browse our website for concert-specific information.

During each of our evening concerts* at the Gichi-ziibi, a cash bar will be open for your enjoyment. You are free to enjoy your refreshments as you like in the lobby, but we ask that any drink brought inside the concert hall have a lid. We know accidents happen, and we want to protect the integrity and beauty of the Gichi-ziibi.

For your convenience, you can pre-order a drink for intermission before the concert begins.

*Bar service is available at our evening concerts on 7/31, 8/2, 8/10, 8/14, and 8/17.

Many of the pieces you will hear have multiple movements, or shorter sections separated by a short silence. Most of the audience will hold their applause until the end, when the conductor turns around – but if you feel really inspired, we encourage you to clap!

The Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts, where most performances are held, is equipped with telecoil technology. Check with your audiologist to see if your hearing aid or hearing assistance technology is equipped to accept telecoil signals. If it is, please visit our box office before the concert to pick up your personal hearing loop device and make sure that it is turned on.

LAMF is committed to ensuring that its programs are widely accessible to diverse audiences. To request accessibility seating, large print programs, or any other special accommodations, please contact us at info@lakesareamusic.org in advance of your visit.

Our volunteer ushers are available at each concert to answer questions and help ensure you have a positive experience. If an usher isn’t available, please visit the Box Office for assistance.

After the Concert

After each of our evening concerts, we invite you to join us for an Afterglow at Notch 8, in the Northern Pacific Center. Enjoy food and drinks, and meet some of the musicians who performed for you that evening.

AfterGlows will follow each of our evening concerts on 7/31, 8/2, 8/10, 8/14, and 8/17.

I still have questions!  Who can I contact?

Our team is here to help! Contact us at info@lakesareamusic.org or 218-275-5263 (218-ASK-LAMF).