Looking for live music and a good time?

Come to the Empire’s Music Box March 7th, 2026!

The Empire's monthly Music Box features 3 local acts, as well as an open-to-the-public jam at the start of every show. If you're interested in live, local music, the Music Box is the place to be! Come for the music, stay for the good vibes(and the free popcorn).

Doors open at 6:00 PM, open-jam starts at 7:00 PM

The Music Box is one of the only venues in Grand Forks that allows artists to play what they want, and our Music Box stage helps to give any musician a platform to perform, regardless the genre or experience.

Tickets available by donation at the door. Recommended Donation of $10.

Meet The Artists:

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. However, when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned, and it's up to a lone warrior to track down the last dragon and stop the Druun for good.

Part of the Rosenquist Law Family Film Series. Tickets available at the door.

Northern Valley Youth Orchestras 
Symphony & Philharmonic Orchestras 
4:30 pm Sunday, March 1  2026
Empire Arts Center
415 Demers Ave. Grand Forks 
Tickets: Pay what you can, $5 suggested minimum.

NVYO  provides challenging symphonic opportunities for young musicians aged 9 to 21, within a supportive setting. Please support these amazing young people as they make music, make friends, and use their talents to make a difference in the community!

Step back into the magic for Year Two of the North Country Hootenanny!

MoonCats Productions is bringing the celebration back to Grand Forks — and this year’s winter gathering shines even brighter. Set inside the historic Empire Arts Center, the night unfolds with rich folk, Americana, and high-spirited bluegrass from an unforgettable trio of performers.

Returning to light up the stage once again are the crowd-favorites Pert Near Sandstone, bringing their wild, rhythmic stomp that turns any room into a dance floor. Adding to the magic are the MoonCats, delivering their signature toe-tappin’ tunes, lively singalongs, and heartwarming North Dakota charm that gets the whole room buzzing. Opening the night is the roots-driven Dellwood, bringing fresh energy and soulful storytelling to set the tone.

Expect warm lights, cold air outside, and a room full of good people sharing one magical winter night of music, movement, and memory-making.

Secure your tickets and be part of the second chapter of this growing Grand Forks tradition! 🌙🎻✨

All Ages, Kids under 12 Free 

In the Living Room – Each month a play is performed, we invite you to join us in the “living room” at the Empire Arts Center, when we enjoy a discussion with local scientists who will share information about ag-science, A.I., physics, nutritional science, chemistry, and marine biology.  No cost to attend due to an Arts Re-grant from the City of GF.

Join Holly Brown-Borg for a conversation about women in science in anticipation for Empire Theatre Company’s production of The Half-Life of Marie Curie!

Holly Brown-Borg is a UND Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She has a broad understanding of the aging field, with specific expertise in the areas of endocrinology, stress resistance, and metabolism. She was the first to discover that growth hormone (GH) deficiency significantly extended lifespan in mice and has worked to understand the mechanisms underlying healthspan and longevity. Her laboratory has shown that the unique physiology attributed to reduced GH signaling in mice leads to delayed aging and resistance to age-related diseases. Recent translational projects are directed at understanding susceptibility and resistance to disease, specifically hepatosteatosis and neurodegeneration, as well as understanding factors that contribute to sarcopenia and frailty. She is the Chair of the NIH National Institute on Aging Board of Scientific Counselors, reviews regularly for multiple NIH panels, and serves on multiple journal editorial boards. She has chaired/organized many aging meetings, including the Biology of Aging Gordon Research Conference, Keystone Conference on Aging, FASEB Scientific Research Conference, and Chairs the International Symposium on Neurobiology & Neuroendocrinology of Aging in Austria (2010-2026). She serves on the Board of the American Aging Association and completed terms on the FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) and the Gerontological Society of America boards. She is a Fellow of the American Aging Association, the Gerontological Society of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was recently elected to the Academy for Health and Lifespan Research.

Looking for live music and a good time?

Featuring Jack Bryan, Nora Lee, and more in the Empire’s Music Box Februrary 27th, 2026

The Empire's monthly Music Box features 3 local acts, as well as an open-to-the-public jam at the start of every show. If you're interested in live, local music, the Music Box is the place to be! Come for the music, stay for the good vibes(and the free popcorn).

Doors open at 6:00 PM, open-jam starts at 7:00 PM

The Music Box is one of the only venues in Grand Forks that allows artists to play what they want, and our Music Box stage helps to give any musician a platform to perform, regardless the genre or experience.

Tickets available by donation at the door. Recommended Donation of $10.

Meet The Artists:

Soul (2020)

Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz -- and he's good. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.

Part of the Rosenquist Law Family Film Series. Tickets available at the door.

Life doesn’t come with a roadmap, but it does come with a soundtrack. In Growing Up: Songs for Every Age and Stage, three musicians explore the way music follows the ups, downs, and unexpected detours of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—tracing how each stage leaves its mark on who we become.

Fresh from graduating UND and preparing for graduate studies in collaborative piano, Sydney Crockett brings a deep commitment to the art of musical partnership and the vitality of a new chapter in her career. Michael Danielson, a seasoned musician whose path spans rock bands, church ensembles, and community choirs, draws on decades of performance to shape a rich and versatile guitar voice. Justin Montigne, an accomplished singer and UND voice professor with an international performance record, blends technical mastery with a spirit of artistic exploration. Together, they unite their distinct experiences in a program grounded in craft, curiosity, and the joy of shared music-making.

Expect a mix of show tunes, reimagined art songs, and pop, rock, and country covers—plus humor, storytelling, and moments that invite you to think about the songs that shaped your life.

Justin Montigne, singer and voice teacher, combines performance expertise with pedagogical insight. He holds degrees from Drake University and the University of Minnesota, and his career bridges performance, education, and ensemble leadership.

Dr. Montigne's performance focus is early music, art song, consort singing, and contemporary works. He toured and recorded with the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Chanticleer, and as a founding member of Clerestory developed over forty concert programs across fifteen seasons. Dr. Montigne continues to produce diverse performances for students at UND and in virtual spaces.

Married for 26½ years, Michael Danielson is a proud spouse and parent to three children, ages 22, 20, and 16. A lifelong servant-leader, he currently directs the Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Dakotas, helping veterans launch and grow successful businesses. From 2001 to 2007, Michael served as an Air Force Logistics Officer, later continuing government employment as Transportation Officer at Grand Forks Air Force Base from 2009 to 2023.

Music has been a constant thread in Michael’s life. Beginning in 1994 as a bass guitarist in a high school rock and roll band who performed across the Midwest. Expanding to guitar in 1996, he played with church organizations for over two decades. Today, Michael sings with Hawks in Harmony, a University of North Dakota choir uniting the community through music.

Most recently, Michael can also be found accompanying University of North Dakota students and faculty at various performances.

Sydney Crockett is a recent graduate from the University of North Dakota where she earned her bachelor’s degree in piano performance. Sydney grew up in Langdon, ND, where she first started to fall in love with piano when she started lessons at the age of 7 with her first teacher, Lisa Schuler. During the high school years, she traveled to Grand Forks quite often for lessons with Dr. Nariaki Sugiura, and continued to learn from him for three years of her undergraduate degree. Most recently, she has been working with Dr. Ling Lo as she prepares for a musical career in the collaborative piano field.

Sydney first fell in love with collaborative piano in high school, when she was given the opportunity to play for a few instrumentalists at regional contests, and occasionally accompanying the choir for concerts. That love for collaboration grew when she came to UND and experienced chamber music with piano trios, piano duos, more experience with vocalists and instrumentalists, and working with choirs. Sydney plans to work toward her master’s degree in collaborative piano in the next couple of years. On top of collaborating, Sydney also enjoys teaching piano to the next generation of amazing musicians.

This Living Room Discussion is in anticipation of the Empire Theatre Company's premiere of the comedy The Nut Lab, Feb. 12-21. This discussion is made possible by the Arts Re-grant program, through the City of GF. 

In the Living Room – Each month a play is performed, we invite you to join us in the “living room” at the Empire Arts Center, when we enjoy a discussion with local scientists who will share information about ag-science, A.I., physics, nutritional science, chemistry, and marine biology.  No cost to attend due to an Arts Re-grant from the City of GF.

We Seem to be at a Point Where Life Stops Giving Things and Starts Taking Them Away...

Surprise! By request, we will be showing Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull, adding on to our Indiana Jones Film Series. This time, Indiana Jones and Marion must team up to find the Mysterious Crystal Skull, before the Soviets get their hands on it. 

The Empire will be showing this film to round out our Indiana Jones Film Series, presented by Houston Engineering.

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull showing February 1st, at 2PM

at The Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, ND

Call 701-746-5500 for more info

I've Seen Things, Things I Can't Explain...

Ending out our Indiana Jones Film Series, is The Dial of Destiny! The most recent installment in the franchise, this film follows Indy in his old age, joined by his Goddaughter, Helena Shaw. They are on a quest to uncover the secret behind Archimedes Dial, which supposedly holds the secret to time travel.

The Empire will be showing this film to round out our Indiana Jones Film Series, presented by Houston Engineering, playing one film from the saga every Sunday in January at 2PM.

Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny showing January 25th, at 2PM

at The Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, ND

Call 701-746-5500 for more info

X Never, Ever Marks the Spot...

In the 3rd installment of the franchise, Indiana Jones must rescue his father from the Nazis, and recover the legendary Holy Grail before it falls into the wrong hands. Together, they must put aside their differences and overcome their pride and discover the true secrets of the Grail.

The Empire will be showing this film as the third installment of our Indiana Jones Film Series, presented by Houston Engineering, playing one film from the saga every Sunday in January at 2PM.

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, showing January 18th, at 2PM

at The Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, ND

Call 701-746-5500 for more info

Think Like A Dog (2020)

After a science experiment goes wrong, Oliver, a 12-year-old tech prodigy, develops a telepathic connection with his dog. He and his furry friend then team up together to overcome various obstacles.

Part of the Rosenquist Law Family Film Series. Tickets available at the door.

Fortune and Glory, Kid.

The adventure continues for Indiana Jones in Temple of Doom! He and his companions, Willie and Short Round, stumble into an Indian village where all the children mysteriously go missing. This leads them on a mission to find and rescue the kids, and the sacred Sankara Stones, which have attracted the attention of an evil, mythic cult in the area.

The Empire will be showing this film as the second installment of our Indiana Jones Film Series, presented by Houston Engineering, playing one film from the saga every Sunday in January at 2PM.

Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, showing January 11th, at 2PM

at The Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, ND

Call 701-746-5500 for more info

Think Outside the Music Box…

The Empire's monthly Music Box features 3 local acts, as well as an open-to-the-public jam at the start of every show. If you're interested in live, local music, the Music Box is the place to be! Come for the music, stay for the good vibes(and the free popcorn).

January 10th, 2026 at 7PM will feature a lineup of:

Isaac Daniel, Durow, and Toni Ryan, hosted by Jantzonia.

The Music Box is one of the only venues in Grand Forks that allows artists to play what they want, and our Music Box stage helps to give any musician a platform to perform, regardless the genre or experience.

The Music Box is supported through our sponsor, Rydell GMC and through donations from our community. If you are able, please consider a donation by either talking to an Empire employee, or by purchasing a "Donation Ticket," which costs more, but will help us cover the cost of paying all our musicians and keeping this program running.

Original Date: Dec 18

POSTPONED TO JAN 10 AT 2PM DUE TO WEATHER

Join us at the Empire Arts Center for a cozy evening with local authors reading excerpts from their books and signing copies.

The event features local authors Hannah Dewey, Allee Mead, and Kelly King. Hannah has written a chapbook of poetry. UND Alumna Allee Mead has written a fantasy novel, and Kelly King has written a contemporary novel for adults exploring the challenges teachers face in public schools. Each reading will be followed by a Q&A, as well as a book signing at the end of the event. Coffee, tea, and cocoa for purchase. 

This event is free and open to the public.

An Evening with Terry Dullum: Stories, Many of Them True

Featuring Tom Brosseau

January 9th at 7 PM

Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Someone else will be asking the questions on Jan. 9 when Terry Dullum, a popular news anchor at WDAZ-TV for nearly 40 years, takes the hot seat on the Empire Arts Center stage in  A Night with Terry Dullum: Stories, Many of Them True.  Dullum, part of a newsroom that won a national Edward R. Murrow Award and two Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Awards, conducted more than eight hundred interviews on his popular video essay series, The Dullum File, which aired on WDAZ and WDAY-TV in Fargo. 

Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and host of The Great American Folk Show, Tom Brouseau, will be the one asking the questions at the event, a fundraiser for the Empire Arts Center. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. when patrons can purchase martinis and other beverages, and mingle with guests and presenters. At 7 pm, Dullum and Brousseau will sit down for a conversation about Dullum’s early years in Hillsboro, his time in the Army, UND, and his TV news career, which includes meeting celebrities, comedians, and politicians (is that redundant?).  Surprise video tributes to Dullum will be woven into the evening and guests can ask their own questions of the seasoned interviewer.

Guests will also have a chance to visit with the presenters following the formal presentation.  Tickets are $25 and early reservations are encouraged as there is limited seating: 701-746-5500 orwww.empireartscenter.com

The iconic saga begins!

In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer, Indiana Jones, sets out on a journey across the globe to recover the fabled Ark of the Covenant. In his adventure, he goes against Nazi forces and death-defying escapades to stop this powerful artifact from falling in the wrong hands. From spiders and snakes(why did it have to be snakes?) to rekindled romances, this film is a bonafide action flick from start to finish!

The Empire will be showing this film to kick off our Indiana Jones Film Series, presented by Houston Engineering, playing one film from the saga every Sunday in January at 2PM.

Raiders of the Lost Ark showing January 4th, at 2PM

at The Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, ND

Call 701-746-5500 for more info

From Executive Producer Ang Lee comes 76 Days Adrift—a profoundly immersive documentary that plunges you into the heart of one man's extraordinary survival story.

Steven Callahan, the author of the New York Times bestseller Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea, recounts the night of February 4, 1982, when a catastrophic collision with a whale left his boat sinking in the dead of night. With the Atlantic Ocean surging into his vessel, Steven had only moments to grab what he could before launching himself into the dark, unforgiving sea in a life raft, clutching a basic emergency kit.

For an astonishing 76 days, that fragile inflatable raft became Steven's entire world as he drifted helplessly across the vast expanse of the Atlantic. Forced to confront his deepest fears, limitations, and the raw power of nature, he discovered an inner strength he never knew he possessed.

Directed by Joe Wein and set to a haunting score by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, 76 Days Adrift is more than just a survival story—it's a powerful meditation on human endurance, resilience, and the profound connection between man and nature.

Screening January 3rd, at 7PM at The Empire Arts Center. Tickets on sale soon.

In the Living Room – Each month a play is performed, we invite you to join us in the “living room” at the Empire Arts Center, when we enjoy a discussion with local scientists who will share information about ag-science, A.I., physics, nutritional science, chemistry, and marine biology.  No cost to attend due to an Arts Re-grant from the City of GF.

Join us for a Living Room Conversation about Empire Theatre Company’s production of “Copenhagen” By Michael Freyn.

Brian Urlacher is a professor of political science at the University of North Dakota.  He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut in 2007. He also earned a M.P.A. from the University of South Dakota and worked with the NGO Transparency International. He came to UND in 2007 teaching courses in International Relations. His research focuses on cooperation under difficult circumstances. He has published on topics as diverse as conflict resolution in civil wars, negotiation analysis, and public goods provision. 

Urlacher has held a number of administrative appointments at the University of North Dakota including Director of International Programs for the Nistler College, Chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, and most recently as Associate Dean in the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration.

On New Year’s Day, 2026, Andante Community Orchestra will be ringing in the New Year with an all ages free concert and crafting session at 1PM at The Empire Arts Center.

The Empire Arts Center is at 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, ND. Call 701-746-5500 with any questions.

Kwanzaa Celebration hosted by Love In Action, Free event

Date and Time: December 28, 4PM to 6PM

at the Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks, ND

Taste of Grand Forks, Live Performances, Learning Activities, & more.

Family-Friendly event sponsored by the Sam A Johnson Arts and Humanities Fund

Interested in live, local music?

Check out the Music Box!

December 20th at 7PM

Rydell GMC presents the Empire’s Music Box, featuring BALD, OWL and The Diers.

Doors open at 6:00 PM, show starts at 7 PM

Open Jam at the start of the show.

Meet The Acts:

Andante Community Orchestra's Annual Christmas Concert

Music and Crafts

December 20th at 3pm
Perfect for all ages!
Enjoy time with friends and family listening to some familiar favorites and crafting some holiday cheer. You can even make your own Olaf!
This is a free event in collaboration with the Empire Arts Center's Family Fun Day. Crafting earlier in the day will be provided by ArtWise.

The Andante Community Orchestra is a passionate group of amateur adult musicians dedicated to spreading the joy of music within the community.
Committed to inclusivity and comradery, we welcome music enthusiasts of all skill levels to join us in creating beautiful harmonies & friendships!

Elf (2003)

Buddy (Will Ferrell) was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa's elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn't fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father. As it happens, this is Walter Hobbs (James Caan), a cynical businessman. After a DNA test proves this, Walter reluctantly attempts to start a relationship with the childlike Buddy with increasingly chaotic results.

Part of the Rosenquist Law Family Film Series. Tickets available at the door.