Make Music
Madison

About Make Music Madison

Angela Puerta and Carlos Ramos at Lakeview Library Photo – by Ben Zastrow of Laura Zastrow Photography

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
Charlie Koczela, Board Member
Emily Goretski, Board Member
Randy Riemer, Board Member
Taeli Shea Turner Reistad, Board Member

+ Volunteers in outreach, matchmaking, publicity, and fundraising. Learn how to join our merry crew!

A map of the City of Madison showing the water in blue, the parkland in green, and the urban areas in light grey. Over 180 red dots represent venues spread throughout the city.
2022 Make Music Madison Venue Map

Participate

Log-in or Create an Account

Important Dates:

  • Venue Registration Opens: March 25th at 8 AM
  • 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.

Step-By-Step Registration Videos

How to Register as a Venue

How to Register as a Musician

How to List a Pre-Existing Event

What is Matchmaking?

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.

Check out our Participant Resources list for more handy tools.

Questions?

See our FAQ which covers many questions about matchmaking, registration, marketing, and more! Or email match@makemusicmadison.org.

2023 Listings: Wednesday, June 21st

 

Support

Willie Wright at Blaze the Stage Hip Hop Experience at Warner Park. Photo by Ben Zastrow of Laura Zastrow Photography

Make Music Madison thrives on community support

Donate via PayPal Giving Fund

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

Madison Arts Commission Logo

2023 Theater Level Sponsors

2023 Club Level Sponsors

2023 Café Level Sponsors

Capital Music Gear
Metcalfe's Market
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.

2023 Media Partners

WORT - 89.9 FM

Contact

Get in touch with us

Email: info@makemusicmadison.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makemusicmadison/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/makemusicmadison

Mail: PO Box 5186, Madison, WI 53705

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Gallery

#makemusicday 2023 is shaping up to be our biggest year yet! We are so excited to jam with the over 450 talented artists and musicians next month.

Want in on the fun? Help us reach our goal of 500 shows by registering by TOMORROW, May 25th. We can’t wait to rock out with you! 🤘🎸🎶
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Barbara Vedder talks about the inspiration behind Make Music Madison and how she helped bring Fête de la musique to Madison!

Vedder is a former member of the Madison Common Council and Dane County Board of Supervisors.

#madisonwi #MakeMusicDay #fetedelamusique #music #livemusic
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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.

Registration closes May 25th, so don’t delay!
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Registration for Make Music Day 2023 closes May 25th! Need help registering as a performer? Check out this video!! #makemusicmadison ...

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Preparations for #MakeMusicDay 2023 are well underway! We are so proud to share that we already have OVER 100 shows confirmed for this year!

Want to join the fun? Venue registration is open until May 25th! Click the link in our bio to get started.
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#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.

See you June 21st!
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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.

Photo credit: Ben Zastrow
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For Make Music Madison, 82 is a special number.

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
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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
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Are you a musician? Are you looking for a fun and rewarding side gig? Make Music Madison is now hiring a musician-in-residence to help us connect with the local music community and grow our reach! This is a limited-term independent contractor position with flexible hours.

Learn more at makemusicmadison.org/about/hiring/

Thank you to the Madison Arts Commission for funding this amazing opportunity through the Artists at Work grant program supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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It's finally here!! Make Music Madison is TODAY and we couldn't be more excited! Here are some tips and advice to enjoy the day:
-Be ready for the heat! Make sure to bring sunscreen, extra water, and other items to keep you cool!
-If possible, help support performers by bringing cash to donate in the designated blue tip buckets!
-Not sure where to go? Check out our "listings" tab on our website for a full list of events!
-If posting photos, remember to tag us @makemusicmadison and use the hashtags #makemusicday and #makemusicmadison!
We cannot wait to see you today!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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54 3

Good morning Madison! Happy #makemusicday

Thanks @_mackenzie.moore_ for helping to promote #makemusicmadison with @nbc15_madison and a shout-out to @metcalfesmarket for hosting and being a great partner and sponsor!
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28 1

We are ONE DAY out from Make Music Madison! Make sure you have your Music Day game plan ready!
Are you a first time attendee at Make Music Madison? Long time visitor looking to see who is playing? Unsure of what venues/performers to visit? Look no further than the Make Music Madison listings page! Here, you can see a comprehensive list of venues, performers, and showtimes! The listings page can be found on the Make Music Madison website under the "listings" tab. We hope to see all of you on Tuesday, June 21st from 8 AM to 9 PM for a day full of music and community!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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As Make Music Madison approaches, do not forget to support the performers who help make this event happen!
If possible, we encourage attendees to bring cash to Make Music Madison and look for the blue tip bucket (as marked in the photo) to help support and appreciate our local Madison artists.
Come out and support these wonderful groups and performers Tuesday, June 21st from 8 AM to 9 PM! We hope to see you there!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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Meet Anne Katz!
Anne works as the director of @createwis and talked to us about the economic impact of the music industry and how Make Music Madison brings the community together!
Extra special thanks to Cris Plata for the song in the video, “Little Eagles”
Thanks again to Anne and @microtonemedia for the great video!
We hope to see everyone at Make Music Madison on Tuesday, June 21st from 8 AM to 9 PM!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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