City of Duluth Invites Community to “The Big 150: Off the Rails” on September 12

Historic 150th anniversary celebration to feature Grand Funk Railroad, The Smithereens, live music, family activities, food trucks and more throughout Downtown Duluth 

The countdown is on. In just 10 days, the City of Duluth will mark a milestone 150 years in the making with The Big 150: Off the Rails, a major anniversary celebration taking over Downtown Duluth on Saturday, September 12, 2026. 

The City is inviting residents, visitors and members of the media to join the celebration as Duluth commemorates its 150th anniversary with a full day of live entertainment, family activities, food, giveaways, history and music throughout Downtown Duluth. 

Festivities begin at 12 p.m. with live music at multiple locations throughout downtown. From 2–6 p.m., attendees can explore activities throughout the celebration, including: 

• Free carnival games 

• Free face painting 

• Free crafts 

• Free caricatures 

• Food trucks 

• Pop-up Duluth swag giveaways 

• Roaming character performers 

• A Duluth history display 

• Off the Rails photo opportunities 

• Live music throughout Downtown Duluth 

The celebration will feature performances across Parsons Alley, the Activity Lawn, Nancy Harris Pavilion and the Main Stage, giving attendees multiple opportunities to experience live entertainment throughout the day. 

The evening culminates on the Main Stage with nationally known rock acts The Smithereens at 6:30 p.m. and Grand Funk Railroad at 8:30 p.m. 

Additional Main Stage programming includes The Big 150 Kickoff at 2 p.m., the Duluth Fall Festival T-Shirt Reveal at 6 p.m., and The Big 150 Birthday Celebration at 7:30 p.m. 

Watch the official Duluth 150 promotional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDtd3s9p0Pk