Gear Daddies at Rib Fest!

The Gear Daddies Return to Southern Minnesota for Mankato Ribfest

Minnesota has a special relationship with the Gear Daddies.

For nearly five decades, Martin Zellar and Nick Ciola have been making music together, beginning in 1980 when they formed the Austin High School band Fallout. A few years later, they joined Randy Broughten and James “Billy” Dankert to form the Gear Daddies, launching one of Minnesota’s most enduring musical stories.

On Friday, August 7, my favorite band returns to southern Minnesota as part of the 2026 Hickory Street Ribfest at Civic Center Plaza in downtown Mankato, just a short walk from Arch + Cable.

For us as owners of Arch + Cable, the show has a personal hometown connection. We both grew up near Austin, Minnesota, where the band got its start and where Zellar and Ciola first began performing together as teenagers. I went to many a show at the Terp Ballroom.

A Minnesota Love Affair Nearly 50 Years in the Making

The Gear Daddies have never felt like just another Minnesota band. Their songs capture the humor, frustration, heartbreak and everyday life of the Midwest in a way that feels deeply familiar.

Their sound blends rock, country and Americana, but it is the storytelling that has kept audiences coming back. Songs such as “Stupid Boy,” “Drank So Much,” “Cut Me Off” and the now-famous hockey anthem “Zamboni” became part of the soundtrack for generations of Minnesota fans.

Over the years, the band built a national following while remaining firmly connected to its Minnesota roots. The Gear Daddies appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, performed frequently at First Avenue and recorded at Paisley Park during one of the most influential periods in the Minneapolis music scene.

Today, a Gear Daddies show often feels like a Minnesota family reunion. Fans who first saw the band in clubs during the 1980s and 1990s now stand beside their children—and sometimes their grandchildren—singing along to the same songs.

More than 45 years after Zellar and Ciola first played together in Fallout, the band continues to fill venues throughout Minnesota.

Ribfest Returns to Downtown Mankato

The 2026 Hickory Street Ribfest takes place Friday, August 7, and Saturday, August 8, at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center and Civic Center Plaza in downtown Mankato.

The regional music lineup includes:

• Gear Daddies
• Barefoot Winos
• Viva Knievel
• Rain Kings
• The Murphy Brothers Band

The weekend also features barbecue from several regional favorites, including:

• 3rd Street Tavern
• Boon’s Backyard BBQ
• Kelm’s BBQ
• Chef.Pickett
• S&B BBQ
• Scotty Biggs BBQ Company
• The Smokin’ Lady BBQ & Catering

General admission is designed to keep Ribfest accessible to the community. Entry to the beer garden and main entertainment area requires only a nominal cover charge, with free-entry opportunities tied to the purchase of an official 2026 Ribfest item.

The Gear Daddies perform Friday night, making August 7 one of the most anticipated evenings of the summer in downtown Mankato.

Make a Weekend of It at Arch + Cable

Arch + Cable is an ideal home base for Ribfest weekend.

Our boutique hotel is located in downtown Mankato, within easy walking distance of Civic Center Plaza, the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, restaurants, bars and other downtown attractions.

Check in, leave the car behind and spend Friday evening enjoying barbecue, cold drinks and one of Minnesota’s most beloved live bands. On Saturday, explore downtown Mankato before returning to Ribfest for another evening of food and music.

With the Gear Daddies returning to southern Minnesota, some of the region’s best barbecue and a full weekend of live entertainment, the 2026 Hickory Street Ribfest promises to be one of Mankato’s signature summer events.

Rooms are limited, so reserve your stay at Arch + Cable early and make a weekend of it.

Learn more about the band at GearDaddies.com.