Prairie Jam returns with regional act inside arena

Fargo\'s Slamabama to perform country music of 1990s and 2000s

MARSHALL -- The Prairie Jam concert in Marshall is back this year, but at a new venue.

Event organizers said they have been working to bring the Prairie Jam fun and atmosphere to the Red Baron Arena and Expo.

"One thing we really wanted to do at the arena is to have a concert there," said Cassi Weiss, director of Visit Marshall.

"We're really excited," said Adri DeBoer, senior sales director for the Red Baron Arena and Expo. Part of the excitement was the chance to hold a new concert at the Arena and Expo during its 10th anniversary year, she said.

"We really want to see the community come out," DeBoer said.

Prairie Jam is returning on Sept. 19. The concert series took a pause in 2025, Weiss said.

"We knew we wanted to bring it back," she said.

This year, Prairie Jam will feature headliners Slamabama performing "Party In the Back," a celebration of country music of the 1990s and 2000s.

Weiss said moving the concert to the Red Baron Arena and Expo has meant working on some different logistics. Organizers were working on adjusting the facility's sound system for a concert.

"Moving to a new venue, you want the sound to be good," she said.

DeBoer said Prairie Jam will be a new kind of event held at the facility.

"This is a newer layout for a concert," DeBoer said.

While there have been music events at the Red Baron in the past, organizers are working on setting up for a larger concert, with more general admission room, she said.

At the same time, there were positives to moving from an outdoor venue at the Schwan Regional Events Center, to an indoor one.

"Dealing with the weather is really difficult when planning a concert outdoors," Weiss said.

Inside the Arena and Expo, inclement weather won't be something to worry about.

Weiss said Prairie Jam organizers worked with Brock Klaith of Small Town Events to book Slamabama, who are based out of the Fargo area. Organizers were looking for performers who were newer to the Marshall area and would bring a good experience for concertgoers, she said.

Visit Marshall said Slamabama performs hits from country music legends like Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Faith Hill, Diamond Rio, Martina McBride and more. The show will recreate the look and sound of an era of country music.

Opening for Slamabama will be "Shania! The Hits," a musical tribute celebrating country music superstar Shania Twain.

Prairie Jam will be at the Red Baron Arena and Expo on Sept. 19. The doors will open at 6 p.m. Weiss said this year, all the tickets will be general admission. Weiss said tickets are only available online through the Visit Marshall website, at visitmarshallmn.com/prairie-jam/.