Everything from the Renaissance World Tour to Barbenheimer points to one thing: 2023 is the year to show up and show out. Fueled by post-COVID delirium, we’ve flocked to stadiums and theaters alike in our finest, glitteriest attire, and the Walker Art Museum’s Avant Garden may just be the perfect next stop. 

The museum’s annual party for the ages serves as both a fundraiser as well as a Minnesotan take on the Met Gala. Decked out in everything from cowboy hats to pearls, visitors come in droves to enjoy a night of drinking, dining, and dancing. Aside from enjoying some reliably great live music (previous Avant Garden performers include Questlove and Dessa), event goers can also bid on select art.

“It’s the party of the year,” outgoing Walker board president Seena Hodges shared over a phone call. “It’s a celebration of summer moving into fall, and it’s this last moment of unbridled joy before we hunker down for the winter. You get to be your full self and turn out. It’s a really good time, for a really good cause.” 

If supporting the Walker’s educational and cultural programming isn’t enough of a draw, this year’s festivities boast a particularly impressive lineup. Alongside local DJs Tricky Miki and Dub Minus, lauded indie singer-songwriter Vagabon will perform a set at this year’s afterparty.

“To me, it’s important from a curatorial perspective when it comes to picking live performers,” Hodges went on. “It’s crucial to bring people of color into these spaces and give them the opportunity to be in a museum setting. Plus they play the music that we all know and love. [Avant Garden] has hosted artists like MC Light, Biz Markie, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. We just want people that make you want to dance and, you know, not afraid to sweat your hair out.”

Hodges serves as a member of the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums (BTA), and notes that Avant Garden wasn’t always this accessible: “When I joined the Walker’s board of directors in 2016, I remember hearing the price of [Avant Garden] tickets and bursting out laughing.” 

In the years since a flurry of changes has followed: Aside from booking diverse musical talent, there is a yearly initiative to set aside Avant Garden tickets specifically for BIPOC artists. In addition, the art being auctioned off is now set at affordable price points.

“It’s our responsibility to broaden the tent at every turn,” Hodges continued. “Every year we invite artists who may not have a relationship with the Walker to celebrate with us. Now the event really feels like a microcosm of the Twin Cities — people forget that we have the largest Somali and Hmong populations outside of their homelands here. Minneapolis really is a diverse place, and you can see that diversity at [Avant Garden].” 

Avant Garden takes place this Saturday, September 23, at the Walker Art Center. The cocktail reception is at 5 and the after-party, including performances from Vagabon, Tricky Miki, and Dub Minus, starts at 8:30.