AARP Minnesota asks State Fair goers to vote for their favorite local musician
by Luke Taylor
August 30, 2019
Even in a non-election year, many politicians take time to visit the Minnesota State Fair, but for AARP Minnesota, the past three years at the Great Minnesota Get-Together have been all about voting — for local musicians, that is.
AARP (its initialism once stood for "American Association of Retired Persons") is a non-profit interest group with a mission "to empower people to choose how they live as they age." AARP's membership, available to people age 50 and older, numbers more than 38 million.
The year 2019 marks the third iteration of AARP's "Rock, Vote, Win" initiative at the Minnesota State Fair, in which four local musicians are featured in a showcase concert and on a ballot where fairgoers are encouraged to vote for their favorite. According to AARP Minnesota spokesperson Carla Zbacnik, events like this are designed to connect AARP with the community through music, and to raise awareness of AARP through "compelling, relevant experiences."
This year's ballot features bluesy soulster Alex Rossi, R&B singer-songwriter Annie Mack, progressive string band Ginstrings, and neo-soul chanteuse PaviElle. These four artists will perform in a showcase on the main stage in Dan Patch Park on Saturday, Aug. 31; their performance times are listed below. Earlier in the day, Local Current host Jesse Wiza will feature music by these artists on the Local Current stream from 9 to 11 a.m. Central.
AARP's 2019 Showcase Artists and set times
AARP's "Rock, Vote, Win" booth at the State Fair is located on green space just west of the JV Bailey House, between the Space Needle and the Horticulture Building. Although AARP membership is geared toward people 50 and older, there are no age restrictions to vote in AARP's local-music poll, nor is AARP membership required. Voting continues through the entire run of the fair; the winning artist will be announced on Tuesday, Sept. 3. This year's "Rock, Vote, Win" winner will receive a $3,000 prize.
AARP spokesperson Zbacknik says last year's contest collected more than 12,700 votes. Jillian Rae was 2018's winner, and part of Rae's prize was an opening set for the Steve Miller Band at the Armory in Minneapolis on Sept. 21, 2018. "Tears of joy have been shed!" Rae posted on her website after last year's announcement was made. "I don't even know how begin to thank all y'all for your votes. This was not something I could do alone, it's something we had to do together and so this win, I genuinely feel, is our win, yours and mine. … I just want you all to know I'm thrilled to the bone that you've given me this opportunity, and to know that I and my band will do our very best to make you proud to have us representing Minnesota music at this concert."
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