Willie Nelson is steering his Outlaw Music Festival straight into Shakopee, locking in a Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, stop at the new Mystic Lake Amphitheater. The traveling roots-and-Americana caravan will bring Nelson and a rotating cast of heavy hitters to one of the first big shows at the Twin Cities’ new 19,000-seat outdoor venue.
Outlaw lineup and date
According to Ticketmaster, the Shakopee date is set for Aug. 19, with Willie Nelson headlining and support from The Avett Brothers and Lukas Nelson, among others. Doors and first-act set times are listed on the event page. As is standard for the Outlaw run, support acts are noted as subject to change on the listing.
Mystic Lake Amphitheater opens as a regional destination
The Mystic Lake Amphitheater is rising near Canterbury Park and is designed for about 19,000 fans, with a combination of a covered lower bowl and broad lawn seating. Press materials say Live Nation will operate the space and plan a full summer slate of national headliners aimed at turning the south metro into a regular tour stop, bringing jobs and a boost to local businesses, according to a release from Mystic Lake.
Tickets go on sale next week
Tickets for the newly announced Outlaw dates are scheduled to go on sale March 27 through The Minnesota Star Tribune. The local report notes that prices were not listed at the time of the announcement and that VIP packages and other extras are typically part of the Outlaw tour offerings.
Nelson at 93
Nelson, who will turn 93 on April 29, told the Star Tribune he has not really thought about retirement and that “I take really one day at a time.” Pollstar and other outlets report that the Outlaw tour launched in 2016 and has since grown into a multi-stop summer franchise pairing veteran acts with rising roots performers.
What this could mean locally
Project backers say the amphitheater fills a long-standing gap in the Twin Cities for large outdoor concerts and could help keep more summer tours in the metro rather than sending fans across state lines. A release from Mystic Lake estimates roughly $138 million in annual economic impact for the region and quotes Shakopee’s mayor calling the amphitheater “a catalyst for further development.”
For now, the game plan is simple: Aug. 19 at Mystic Lake is locked in, and fans will want to keep an eye on Ticketmaster for the March 27 on-sale and any package options. The show will serve as one of the first big tests of the new Twin Cities amphitheater and a marquee stop on Nelson’s ongoing Outlaw run.
