The Minnesota Music Coalition is pleased to announce the first leg of the eighth annual Caravan du Nord coming to southern Minnesota.

Sponsored by 89.3, the Current, the Caravan du Nord is a traveling showcase of Minnesota music that presents 18 bands and solo artists to six theater venues in Greater Minnesota for all-ages performances at affordable prices.

Fitting in with the  Minnesota Music Coalition’s mission to connect and support Minnesota’s diverse community of musicians, the Caravan du Nord brings together established regional artists and emerging acts for a day of concerts, workshops and networking events.

The first leg of this year’s tour will be coming to southern Minnesota, visiting Faribault, Red Wing and Austin with a performance at the Historic Paramount Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 27 by Sims of the indie hip hop collective Doomtree featuring R & B artist Mina Moore and rapper CMF.

Born Andrew Sims, mononymous rapper Sims is from Minneapolis. He was born into a musical family and began writing lyrics and creating music at an early age when his father bought him a Casio SK-1 keyboard. By the time Sims attended Hopkins High School, he was freestyle rapping and performing in bands as well.

In 2005, he released his first solo album, “Lights Out Paris” followed by “Bad Time Zoo” in 2011 and “More Than Ever” in 2016. Sims says that the inspiration of “More Than Ever” was death and sickness in his immediate circle of friends and family and his answer to big loss — urgent, defiant, unapologetic joy. Sims music is described as genre–defying, thoughtful, adventurous. His wordplay is razor-sharp and his live show “unstoppable.”

Sims will be joined at the Caravan show by Minneapolis singer-song writer Mina Moore who brings soul, R&B, and pop her recordings and her live performances. YSHEYELLIN is Mina Moore’s DJ guise. Opening the show will be C.M.J., a.k.a. Christopher Michael Jensen, a Minneapolis-based rapper with 18 years of experience as a touring performer and emcee. He has appeared on Sirius XM’s Shade 45 network for Sway In The Morning. In 2018, Chris also took over as host of Fifth Element Open Mic in Minneapolis. C.M.J. has released six full-length solo records.

Due to grant funding, tickets to the Caravan du Nord show at the Paramount Theatre are only $10. The public is also invited to meet and greet the performers during a pre-show cocktail hour at Dusty’s Bar and Lounge prior to the show.

Coming soon at the Paramount Theatre

• $5 Movie, “Little Shop of Horrors” 3 and 7:30 p.m., Oct. 24

• Caravan du Nord with SIMS and Mina Moore, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 27

• $5 Movie, “Night of the Living Dead” 3 and 7:30 p.m., Oct. 31

Coming soon at the ArtWorks Center

• Fall Fest pumpkin craft, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,  Oct .27. Free and open to the public

• Fall Pumpkin Acrylic Painting with Katie Stromlund, 6 p.m.,  Oct. 30

• Music at the Bank: Part Time Exes, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.