Programs

Make Music Day Wisconsin

WORLD’S LARGEST ANNUAL MUSIC EVENT CELEBRATED
THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN ON FRIDAY, JUNE 21 

Hundreds of free, mostly outdoor music-making events held across the state
check out community performances and events at www.makemusicday.org/wi

Are you interested in making Make Music Day happen for your community? Any community of any size in any part of the state is welcome to participate. Get in touch with Anne at akatz@createwisconsin.org | 608 255 8316 to talk about how your community can be involved.

Twenty-three cities across Wisconsin joined together to present hundreds of free outdoor musical events on Friday, June 21 for Make Music Day, a global music celebration on the summer solstice each year that brings people of all ages and skill levels together to make music.

This year, Appleton, Barron, Beloit, Cable, Cambridge, Chequamegon Bay, DeForest, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Kenosha, Land O' Lakes, Madison, Marshfield, Middleton, Milwaukee, Monona, Oshkosh, Platteville, Shell Lake-Spooner, Stevens Point, Sun Prairie, Superior and Waunakee were included in the 150+ U.S. cities hosting thousands of Make Music Day performances nationwide, as part of the world’s largest annual music event. 

Gov. Tony Evers proclaimed Friday, June 21, 2024, as Make Music Day in Wisconsin.

Make Music Day began in France in 1982 as the Fête de la Musique, and today it is celebrated in thousands of cities across 120 countries. 

Distinct from a traditional music festival, Make Music Day celebrates and encourages the natural music maker in all of us, regardless of age, ethnicity, background, or skill level. Make Music Day is a free and open invitation for everyone to perform, teach, learn, and experience the joy of making music on the longest day of the year. Reimagining their cities and towns as stages, every kind of musician – young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion – pours onto streets, parks, plazas, porches, rooftops, gardens and other public spaces to celebrate, create and share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. 

"Each year, Make Music Wisconsin gets bigger and better, and reaches more people around the state,” said Anne Katz, executive director of Create Wisconsin. “The 23 Wisconsin communities involved this year include our largest cities and some of our smallest towns, and span the entire state from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan and from Lake Superior to the Illinois border. We're in awe of the creativity and hard work of community members in every one of these places, bringing together neighbors, friends, and family members through music as the universal language."

In a spectacular highlight of Make Music Wisconsin, Poland's Przekrój Foundation launched Baby You – a massive, 112-foot-long hot air balloon in the shape of a sleeping newborn – over Milwaukee's Veterans Park, accompanied by a new a cappella choral work by composer Michael Schachter. All are invited to join the choir, conducted by Lee Stovall, and to experience this public art event that evokes the potential in all of us that’s waiting to be awakened, unlimited and endless as the sky. More details at makemusicday.org/babyyou. 

More highlights of Make Music Wisconsin included: 

• Appleton: Make Music Day Appleton offers a diverse and extensive program, from an introduction to mariachi music, to ukulele jams, to a sensory-friendly music making workshop. The day will kick off with a mayoral proclamation quickly followed by a dance workshop led by the Broadway touring production of Moulin Rouge, and end in a closing showcase open to one and all.

• Barron: Barron will celebrate its fifth Make Music Day, beginning at 5:30 a.m. at our community center where participants can use the “Public Piano” after their lap swim or workout in the weight room. There will be drum circles, singalongs, harp music, and a new artists’ maker space where attendees can make and take a musical instrument, or make art with a musical theme. We are paying tribute this year to two musicians we recently lost. A flag ceremony with the playing of Taps will be held in honor of Chuck Kirkwood who had played Taps for over 80 years. Also being honored is Larry Jerome, who not only was an accomplished musician, but contributed to scholarships and opportunities for youth in our community to further their careers in music. Participants will sing or perform his signature song, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”

• Beloit: Make Music Beloit, returning for its second year, will have more than three dozen performances taking place throughout the region. Several new venues have come on board and performances are planned to cover a wide array of music interests, from revues to outdoor festivals to electric guitar in an art museum.

• Cable: It’s Cable’s first Make Music Day and we’re pulling out all the stops. This Northwoods community of 825, nestled among the pines with its background chorus of birdsong and the rat-a-tat-tat of woodpeckers, invites you to receive a free kazoo and march along with the Price Lake Marching Band, witness the Tai Chi Players on the village green, experience a drumming circle, Boomwhacker concert and body percussion performance, and enjoy traditional music from local groups and singer-songwriters. 

• Cambridge: Cambridge is excited to host its inaugural Make Music Day event, sponsored by Visit Cambridge WI and Collaborative 523, Inc. Participants will be able to visit more than eight host locations to see and participate in more than 20 performances. The full day includes Melodic Morning Yoga, kazoo and harmonica lessons, a performance of The Color Purple musical drama, a bagpipe performance, bucket drumming, student performances, singalong bingo, toddler Music Together session, a Makey Makey sidewalk piano, and performances of all genres.

• Chequamegon Bay: Make Music Chequamegon Bay will kick off at 10:30 a.m. on Madeline Island with an instrument and kazoo band riding along on the ferry to welcome passengers. Throughout the day and evening, a variety of performances will include youth musicians, gong meditation, polka, rock, gospel, country, open mic, chamber music, indigenous music and more. Most events will take place at the center of La Pointe on Bell Street, but other local venues will be having entertainment as well. Evening music will begin at 6:00 p.m. when Rod Cerar & Orchestra will get the dancing started. Later in the night, Tom's Burned Down will feature Nick Hensley & Tony Cuchetti. There will also be a concert by the Garland City Consort in the Ashland Bandshell at 6 pm.

• Eau Claire: Pablo Center at the Confluence and CollECtive Arts invite everyone from professional musicians to people who have never picked up an instrument to join in the global music celebration by attending our Haymarket Plaza activities. Enjoy a creative afternoon with Might in Motion, ARTmobile craft activities and instrument creation, looping stations, an instrument petting zoo, ukulele corner, FIRST Robotics Competition team science activities, a youth band performance, and a celebration dance party.

• Green Bay: Make Music Day Green Bay presents a spectacular free noontime jazz performance by The Standard Collective on the picturesque patio of The Weidner, located on the beautiful University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus, with more events to be announced in the coming weeks.

• Land O’Lakes: Make Music Day Land O’ Lakes features a Mini Music Crawl from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It will start at Sawbuck, continuing to Luoto’s Fitness courtyard and LOLA Arts. We will have singer and fiddler Brad Klabunde, singer and guitarist Jon Franke, Northwoods Ukers, pianist Norma Yaeger and the Brass Quintet.

• Madison: Make Music Madison is excited to present another incredible day of music with over 600 performances at 175+ venues. The city will become a stage with music of all styles, plus a harmonica lesson, an interactive Makey Makey activity, and a flamenco class that invites the audience to dress as flamingos. We will also host a flash mob playing Maurice Ravel’s Boléro on the Capitol Square, presented by the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra. Musician-in-residence Tzêra will cover the Make Music Madison anthem, and we will present a stage at Penn Park in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County.

• Marshfield: Marshfield is celebrating its fifth Make Music Day with hands-on morning activities for all ages at the Wenzel Family Plaza. Afternoon includes a family-friendly singing duo, ukulele group, and a rock concert at night. Starting at 3:00, Columbia Park will feature country music, Zumba dance, a singer-songwriter, and a sing-along popular family movie.

• Milwaukee: Along with Baby You (see above), Make Music Milwaukee will host a day-long event with performances and musical activities throughout the Greater Milwaukee area, in our eighth annual celebration. Adding to our usual 15 venues, Colectivo Coffee will host performances in their 11 locations. We are also adding day-long music performances at Hart Park Stage, culminating in a Sousapalooza, where musicians are invited to join in a concert of Sousa marches. Local artists such as Living Room, Jorge Vallentine & The Honest Love, Wynter Bates, Chris Darby, Ben & Jen, Papa Fishie and the Lost Trout, Jen Leo, Rael, Lake Waves Trio, Dr. Mikhail Johnson, The All Star Supper Club Band and The Ukuladies will be featured at locations including the Beulah Brinton House, the Milwaukee Public Libraries, the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, the Uptowner, and more.

• Monona: Much of Make Music Monona will take place at the annual Harry Whitehorse International Sculpture Festival at San Damiano, a former friary that’s now a lakefront public park. The festival immerses the community in the rich tradition of contemporary and traditional wood sculpting, and several sculptors also will play: Thorsten Schütt of Germany on djembe or guitar, Simone Carole Levy of Switzerland on vocals, and Gene Delcourt of Madison on fiddle. Musicians from around the area also will perform music in various genres throughout the day.

• Oshkosh: Make Music Oshkosh is in its inaugural year with two locations at the Heid Music Oshkosh store and the Oshkosh Public Library. The Library Dome will host many fun events including a beginning harmonica class, an interactive kids musical book reading, Oshkosh Sings with the Oshkosh Chamber Singers, a community Jazz Jam, a beginning guitar class with Guitars for Vets, and book reading and performance by John Harmon. The Heid Music store will host a bucket band, kazoo parade, pBuzz jam, and beginning ukulele class, ending the evening with a performance by the Oshkosh Area Ukulele Performers.

• Platteville: In its ninth year, Make Music Platteville will feature harmonica lessons at five different locations, Piano in the Park, Flute Choir Mass Appeal, a handbell ringing lesson, Prairie Lights String Band, The Plucky Strummers Ukulele Group, a jazz combo from Dubuque, Iowa, Music Together for young children in our new inclusive playground, and a plethora of music styles throughout the community. New venues this year include the Karrmann Library at UW Platteville, First Congregational Church, Smith Park-Inclusive Playground, and Frassati’s Coffeehouse.

• Spooner-Shell Lake: For Spooner and Shell Lake’s first ever Make Music Day, responses from area musicians have exceeded the expectations of Intermezzo Music Club, the initiators of this joyful celebration of music. With over 20 events planned in more than 15 venues, the day offers performances and participatory activities from Trego to Spooner to the Shell Lake Beach Pavilion.

• Sun Prairie: We are excited to introduce a new Hip-Hop Festival at the Sun Prairie Dream Park from noon to 4 p.m., providing a unique space for dance, spoken word and rap artists to share their art with the community. Artists of all ages are welcome to participate in this family-friendly event. The festival will also feature live graffiti artmaking, a dance session, and an Open Mic competition, with prizes for local youth. New downtown community center The Loop will host The Art of Sampling digital music workshop with music producer Overlor (City Alder David Virgell). Other events include a community drumming circle and a Piano Parade, which will offer eight pianos painted by area artists placed throughout downtown for pianists to come and play. The day's activities will end with a special Concert Pop-Up at Wetmore Park from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. featuring the Jon Hoel Group jazz ensemble.

• Superior: Prepare to be amazed by the incredible talent taking the stage in our beautiful city by the lake! Make Music Superior presents over 15 performances, showcasing seven gifted musicians who will also be mentoring young musicians in the summer parks program.

• Waunakee: The Waunakee Public Library will be host to several Make Music Day events during the day including play groups and children’s musicians. Performances will be held at several spots throughout the afternoon and evening, including the Red & White Wine Bar, Lone Girl Brewing Company, and Buck & Honey’s Restaurant. 

Make Music performances will also take place in DeForest, Kenosha, Middleton, and Stevens Point.

Make Music Wisconsin is coordinated statewide by Create Wisconsin. Thanks to the national Make Music Day Alliance for partnership and Wisconsin Public Radio for statewide and regional promotion. 

For more information, contact Anne Katz, Create Wisconsin, 608 255 8316 | akatz@createwisconsin.org. 

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