Trampled by Turtles announce 2025 Bayfront show

A band is on stage, lit with blue and purple lights, in front of a large crowd — Trampled by Turtles perform at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth on July 6, 2024.

By Jay Gabler

January 07, 2025 at 7:15 PM

DULUTH — Trampled by Turtles have announced their return to Bayfront Festival Park on July 5.

The announcement comes as no surprise, as the Duluth-founded Americana band has made a tradition of playing Bayfront over the Fourth of July weekend each year. The announcement confirms that this year's Independence Day weekend will be a dizzying climax of summer activity, with the Duluth Airshow also taking place July 5-6.

Kentucky singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman, who has won critical praise for her fresh and personal take on Southern music, will open for Trampled by Turtles.

Recent years have seen the band welcome an up-and-coming Twin Ports artist as first opener, part of a Palomino Grant program that comes with a cash award of $5,000. Details regarding that program are typically announced in the spring.

The show is presented by First Avenue and promoter Rose Presents, along with The North 103.3 and The Current. The event is listed on the website of the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, which reclaimed management of Bayfront in 2025 after the park was run as an event venue by Winterfell Management for a single year in 2024.

Trampled by Turtles, who famously played their first-ever gig at Sir Benedict's Tavern on the Lake in 2003, emerged from the Duluth music scene to become international stars and now find a rapturous welcome when they return to their original trampling grounds.

String band of white men perform on small tavern stage. At center, man holds acoustic guitar and sings into microphone. — Dave Simonett, center, performs with Trampled By Turtles at Sir Benedict's Tavern on the Lake in Duluth on April 4, 2023, during a surprise set marking the 20th anniversary of the band's public debut.

Recently, the band shared a bill with the Avett Brothers at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center and released an EP that came paired with a mirror release from frontman Dave Simonett's other band, Dead Man Winter. The surprise release featured guest vocals from LeAnn Rimes.

The band has often welcomed Alan Sparhawk to share the stage for part of the Bayfront set, and this year that seems especially likely. Trampled by Turtles served as Sparhawk's backing band for a new album expected to drop this year, following the Low member's acclaimed 2024 solo debut.

General on-sale for tickets to the July 5 show begins Friday at 10 a.m., with earlier presales including one through the band's email list. For more information, see trampledbyturtles.com and social media.

By Jay Gabler

Arts and entertainment reporter Jay Gabler joined the Duluth News Tribune in 2022. His previous experience includes eight years as a digital producer at The Current (Minnesota Public Radio), four years as theater critic at Minneapolis alt-weekly City Pages, and six years as arts editor at the Twin Cities Daily Planet. He's a co-founder of pop culture and creative writing blog The Tangential; he's also a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the Minnesota Film Critics Association. You can reach him at jgabler@duluthnews.com or 218-409-7529.

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Trampled by Turtles announce 2025 Bayfront show

Continuing a tradition, the Duluth-founded Americana band will play Bayfront Festival Park on July 5. Tickets go on sale Friday.