If I were to ask you to imagine a caravan, and then ask you to join said caravan, would you?

Would you throw caution to the wind and leave every familiar thing behind you to join a traveling band of vagabonds bound for lands unknown?

Don’t worry. It’s not that kind of caravan.

The Caravan Du Nord tour, an ongoing project of The Minnesota Music Coalition which is sponsored by 89.3 The Current and made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, stops off at Austin in a few short weeks, and this is one event music fans should not miss.

The tour, which introduces independent musicians to new audiences across Minnesota, will be fresh from stops at Faribault, Ely, Red Wing, and Northfield when it hits the Paramount Theatre this November.

But it’s not just another traveling show. In addition to Saturday’s concert, the Caravan will also provide free education for developing artists earlier that day — workshops at the ArtWorks Center (2 to 4 p.m.), which include “The Do’s and Don’ts of DIY Booking” and “Promoting Your Music,” sound perfect for our deep bench of talented area musicians. After the workshops, the action moves just down Main Street, to Dusty’s Bar & Lounge, where a social hour runs 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

As for the show itself, Peter Jacobs and his jazz combo will open the evening. The group has played at numerous AACA events in the past, not least notably a Music at the Bank gig last June, where they were joined by Brian Koser. Next up will be Reina del Cid, who recently played a set at our own ArtWorks Festival. Del Cid is another independent group from the Twin Cities, whose clever brand of pop rock is nothing short of infectious.

Headliner Har Mar Superstar — so named for the shopping center in Roseville, Minnesota — is a contemporary R&B artist who surprises at every turn. While the Owatonna native has toured with such acts as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Strokes, and Tenacious D, and has written songs for Jennifer Lopez and Kelly Osbourne, the singer-songwriter has remained unique, forging his own path in the wake of rhythm and blues music’s recent renaissance. Trust me: you haven’t seen Har Mar until you’ve seen Har Mar.

The caravan circles its wagons at the Paramount at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Hop on with us. (Just don’t call it a bandwagon.)