Make Music Madison is a free, citywide day of music held annually on June 21st, the longest day of the year. Initiated in Madison in 2013, our festival is part of the larger Make Music Day, an international summer solstice music celebration occurring in 1,000+ cities across the globe. Each year, coffee shops, restaurants, retail shops, centers of worship, front porches, parks, and other locations across Madison fill with music for everyone to enjoy!
What?
Music “Performed by Anyone, Enjoyed by Everyone.”
A celebration of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year.
A buffet of musical merriment.
A DIY city-wide fest where anyway to make music can and will happen.
Open to music makers of all ages, skill levels, and musical persuasions.
When? Annually on June 21st
Where? Over 100 locations throughout the City of Madison!
Who? Meri Rose Ekberg, Managing Director Jamie Kember, Board President Ashley Massart, Board Treasurer Kristian Petrov Iliev, Board Secretary Alex Squitieri, Board Member Emily Goretski, Board Member Taeli Shea Turner Reistad, Board Member Fran Genter, Board Member
Learn more about Make Music Madison and listen to our anthem written and produced by 2023 Musician-in-Residence Corey Whitmore, with vocals by Alise Mosley.
Musician Registration Opens & Matchmaking Begins: April 1st at 8 AM
Registration Closes: May 25th at 11:59 PM
Matchmaking Ends: June 1st at 11:59 PM
Venue Material Pick Up: June 10th 11 AM – 2 PM
Musicians: All styles, ages, and experience levels are invited to register to perform and participate on Make Music Day! You can play one set or schedule as many as you like.
Venues: Whether you have a garden, pontoon boat, sidewalk, café, or other space in mind, it’s easy and there’s no cost to participate. Venues must be:
In the City of Madison
Free and accessible to the public
Maintain a clearance on the sidewalk for pedestrian passage
Parks: Want to claim a city park for your stage? Use Find-a-Park to explore Madison Parks alphabetically or with the neat interactive map. Once you identify a park that meets your needs, email match@makemusicmadison.org and we’ll reserve it for you if it is still available, and we will pay for and process the required permit.
Matchmaking is our system of connecting musicians with venues. After creating an account, venues can browse musician profiles and vice versa and request a booking. A few tips:
Fill out your profile as much as possible.
Don’t be shy! Feel free to send requests. It helps to put yourself out there and you can book as many shows as you want.
Respond to requests in a timely manner. No one likes to wait to hear back. If it’s not a good fit, let the other party know so they can move on.
Follow up! You can send direct messages through the system or reach out via phone or email.
In the end, just about everyone who wants to participate will match up. If you need assistance, send a message to match@makemusicmadison.org.
Or send a check to: Make Music Madison PO Box 5186 Madison, WI 53705
Make Music Madison is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; all contributions are 100% tax-deductible.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Our partners benefit from extensive exposure through print, radio and digital advertising. When the Solstice rolls around, we are everywhere. To learn more about sponsoring this event, please view current sponsorship opportunities or contact us at info@makemusicmadison.org.
2023 Stadium Level Sponsors
2023 Theater Level Sponsors
2023 Club Level Sponsors
2023 Café Level Sponsors
Make Music Madison is supported in part by grants from the Madison Arts Commission & Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
🎤🎤ARTIST SPOTLIGHT🎤🎤
Mary Frantz played the keyboard at the WIDE-LP Radio Transmitter Garage in 2017. She turned 100 years old in May and plans to return to the venue this year for a special performance!...
Want to learn to play the harmonica?
There are two opportunities on Make Music Day with The Cash Box Kings and The Harmonica Man!
Visit our website to find out more information about the events!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison...
Registration and matchmaking for Make Music Madison is officially closed.
Visit the link below to find promotion and marketing materials as well as tips for preparing for Make Music Day!!
Today is the last day to register to perform or host an event for Make Music Madison! Click the link in our bio to register now!
Anyone still finalizing shows who cannot meet this deadline should email info@makemusicmadison.com with their plans and any questions...
🗣️🗣️REMINDER🗣️🗣️- June 1st is the last day to confirm your shows for Make Music Madison 2023.
Click the link in our bio to learn more and find your perfect match now!...
We’re always looking for new venues to host our performers! Looking to get involved and need help getting started? Check out this video to learn everything you need to know about how to register for Make Music Day 2023.
Make Music Madison would not be possible without the generous support from the Madison community.
We are so thankful for those donating their time, energy and resources towards making Make Music Day 2023 a success. We’d also like to extend a special “thank you” to our 2023 sponsors! ❤️
For more information on our sponsors and to find more ways to get involved, visit makemusicmadison.org/support !
Make Music Madison is supported in part by grants from the Madison Arts Commission & Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts....
The artwork for Make Music Day 2023 is officially here! Thank you to Tyler Brusnell for sharing your talents with us and creating the artwork for this year!
Tyler Brunsell is an emcee and Co-Founder of Supa Friends, a Hip Hop group based in Madison, WI. While still unsure of his fullest potential as someone who creates, he's been included as a teaching artist in numerous Hip Hop literacy initiatives, such as Urban Community Arts Network's (UCAN) Academic Rap Up, a program that allows students to express their knowledge through rhyme. By day, Tyler's focus is geared toward administrative assistance for UCAN, podcast development for Studio 22, and graphic design, which leaves just enough room for him to continue defining his artistry under moonlight....
#makemusicday is just around the corner and you're not gonna want to miss it! Make Music Madison has something for everyone, and we can't wait until the city comes together again to celebrate music.
Calling all performers! Artist Registration for #makemusicday 2023 is now open. Anyone and everyone are invited to share their musical talents with the city of Madison on June 21st regardless of age, genre or experience level. If you love to make music, this is the event for you! Click the link in our bio to get started. Registration closes May 25th.
In 1982, Jack Lang and his staff at the Ministry of Culture in France introduced a new kind of music festival, one where everyone would be able to share their musical talents with their community.
Today, Make Music Day is celebrated in over 1,000 cities around the world. Make Music Day 2023 marks 10 years since the first celebration in Madison!
Make Music Day 2023 is approaching in just a few short weeks! We hope you're as excited as we are. To get involved, visit our website at makemusicmadison.org...
The time has come! Venue registration for #MakeMusicDay 2023 is now open.
Any place where people can gather to listen to music counts as a venue. If you have a space, you can host live music. Sidewalk? Garden? Coffee shop? Anything goes!
Click the link in our bio to get started! Registration closes May 25th.
Photo Credit: Pete Olsen...
We are so excited for Make Music Madison 2023! To prepare, here’s a refresher on the essential information you need to know about Make Music Madison. We hope you come rock out with us on June 21st! #makemusicday #makemusicmadison...