⛓️💥 Prince (November 19–21, 2026) – Emancipation Weekend: 30 Years of Freedom
Updated: 4 hours ago
NEWS
Emancipation Weekend – 30 Years of Freedom will take place at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota, from November 19–21, 2026, marking the 30th anniversary of Prince’s Emancipation. Billed as the inaugural Emancipation Weekend, the three-day Freedom Weekend Symposium has been conceived as an interactive celebration examining Prince’s pursuit of freedom on personal, musical, cultural and commercial levels. [paisleypark.com]
Rather than concentrating solely on the anniversary of the album, the weekend will explore the wider journey towards independence that surrounded Emancipation and Prince’s continuing influence upon the music industry. The announced programme brings together special guests, industry experts and emerging creators alongside exhibits, displays, moderated discussions, historical footage, accounts from Prince collaborators and specially selected music. All proposed speakers and participants remain subject to availability and confirmation. [paisleypark.com]
EVENT DETAILS | INFORMATION |
Event | Emancipation Weekend – 30 Years of Freedom |
Anniversary | 30th Anniversary of Emancipation |
Dates | November 19–21, 2026 |
Venue | Paisley Park |
Location | Chanhassen, Minnesota |
Event Format | Three-Day Freedom Weekend Symposium |
Status | Upcoming Event |
THURSDAY – NPG MUSIC CLUB
EVENT INFORMATION | DETAILS |
Admission | $30 |
Doors | 6:00 PM |
Virtual Panel | 7:00 PM CST |
Album Release Party | 9:00 PM–12:00 AM CST |
Thursday opens proceedings at the NPG Music Club with Behind Emancipation – Reflections from Prince Insiders On His Emancipation Journey, a virtual panel beginning at 7:00 PM CST. The discussion will bring together people with first-hand perspectives of the period to consider what was happening personally, professionally and creatively around Prince during the Emancipation era. [paisleypark.com]
The discussion is intended to explore the challenges and achievements surrounding Prince’s movement towards artistic freedom, alongside stories connected with the creation of Emancipation. From 9:00 PM until midnight CST, attention turns from discussion to celebration with an Anniversary Album Release Party, featuring a DJ and music celebrating Emancipation. [paisleypark.com]
FRIDAY – PAISLEY PARK SOUNDSTAGE
EVENT INFORMATION | DETAILS |
Admission | $31.21 |
Panel | 7:00 PM CST |
Concert Film | 9:00 PM CST |
Late Night Jam Session | 11:00 PM–1:00 AM |
Additional Fee | May apply to Late Night Jam Session |
Friday moves into the Paisley Park Soundstage for The Five Freedoms & Prince’s Emancipation at 7:00 PM CST. The panel will consider the five freedoms of the First Amendment, religion, speech, press, assembly and petition, placing these alongside themes associated with Prince including personal liberty, creative expression, independence and ownership. [paisleypark.com]
At 9:00 PM CST, Paisley Park will present a Special Prince Emancipation Era Concert Film. The evening is then scheduled to continue from 11:00 PM until 1:00 AM with a Late Night Jam Session, for which an additional entrance fee may apply. [paisleypark.com]
SATURDAY – COMMUNITY DAY
TIME | PROGRAMME |
11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Community Day |
3:00 PM–5:00 PM CST | Youth Voices – Exploring Creative Freedom |
5:00 PM–7:00 PM CST | How Emancipation Revolutionized the Music Industry |
7:00 PM–8:00 PM CST | Emerging Artist Showcase |
Saturday begins at the NPG Music Club with a free Community Day running from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Activities announced for the day include a Pancake Breakfast Bar, the interactive Style Your Symbol creative activity, Kids on NPG Stage, trivia and games. [paisleypark.com]
The afternoon programme shifts towards the next generation of artists and audiences. Youth Voices – Exploring Creative Freedom, running from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM CST, will examine how younger people understand creative freedom, individuality and personal expression through music, art and culture. [paisleypark.com]
EMANCIPATION & THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
DISCUSSION | FOCUS |
Youth Voices | Creative freedom and finding an individual voice |
Emancipation Revolutionized the Music Industry | Artistic independence, music ownership and changes within the music industry |
Emerging Artist Showcase | 7:00 PM–8:00 PM CST |
A second Saturday panel, How Emancipation Revolutionized the Music Industry, follows from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM CST. The discussion will focus upon the impact of Emancipation in relation to artistic independence, ownership of music and the development of the industry. [paisleypark.com]
Saturday's NPG Music Club programme concludes with an Emerging Artist Showcase between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM CST, extending the weekend's emphasis on creative freedom beyond retrospection and towards emerging creators. [paisleypark.com]
SATURDAY – NEW POWER GENERATION LIVE
EVENT INFORMATION | DETAILS |
Venue | Paisley Park Soundstage |
Doors | 8:00 PM CST |
Concert | 9:00 PM CST |
General Admission | $31.21 – Seated/Standing |
VIP | $50 – Preferred Seating & NPG Meet & Greet |
Artist | New Power Generation |
The weekend's announced programme culminates at the Paisley Park Soundstage with New Power Generation – Live from the Paisley Park Soundstage. Doors open at 8:00 PM CST with the performance scheduled for 9:00 PM. [paisleypark.com]
General admission is priced at $31.21 with seated/standing admission, while the $50 VIP option includes preferred seating and an NPG Meet & Greet. [paisleypark.com]
30 YEARS OF FREEDOM
EMANCIPATION | FREEDOM |
The weekend commemorates three decades of Emancipation by looking beyond the record itself and examining the larger story of independence surrounding the album. | Prince's pursuit of personal, musical, cultural and commercial freedom provides the central theme connecting the discussions, archive material, music, community activities and live performance. |
First-hand perspectives from Prince's collaborators form part of the announced programme alongside historical material and specially curated music. | Discussions will extend the idea of freedom into questions of creative expression, artistic independence and music ownership, as well as what creative freedom means to younger generations. |
What makes this anniversary distinctive is its decision to treat Emancipation as more than an album milestone. Paisley Park's programme positions the record within Prince’s broader movement towards independence and uses that history as the foundation for conversations about freedom, ownership and creative control. [paisleypark.com]
At the same time, the programme combines reflection with contemporary participation. Historical footage and memories of the Emancipation period sit alongside youth discussions, emerging artists, community activities and New Power Generation in concert, giving the three-day event both an archival and forward-looking dimension. [paisleypark.com]
NOTES
EVENT STATUS | TICKETING |
All proposed speakers and participants are subject to availability and confirmation. | Thursday admission is $30; Friday admission is $31.21; Saturday Community Day is free; the Saturday New Power Generation concert is $31.21 GA or $50 VIP. |
The event runs November 19–21, 2026 at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota. | Separate ticketing is available for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday programmes. An additional entrance fee may apply to Friday's Late Night Jam Session. |
SOURCES
Paisley Park promotional material; Emancipation Weekend event announcement.
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