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

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.

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 11th 11 AM – 2 PM

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date!

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 participants request a booking. A few tips:

  • 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.

Who can host?

  • Is your venue located in the City of Madison?
  • Is it free and accessible to the public?
  • Can you maintain a 6′ clearance on the sidewalk for the pedestrian passage?
  • And of course, everyone must abide by the most up-to-date Public Health Madison and Dane County COVID orders.

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, no permitting or fees required.

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.

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
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

Gallery

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
...

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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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
...

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
...

Meet Beth Mastin!
As one of the first staff to work on Make Music Madison after its founding in 2013, Beth knows what it takes to run a successful community music event. In this interview, Beth tells us a little more about her role in Make Music Madison, its impact on the community, and the importance of music to Madison.
Special thanks to @microtonemedia for this wonderful video!
#makemusicmadison #makemusicday
...

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
...

ATTENTION VENUE HOSTS: Extra posters are still available! If interested, email info@makemusicmadison.org to request a bundle.
If you still haven't ordered your venue materials (banners, posters, yard signs, tip buckets, etc.) there is still time! Request venue materials by filling out the google form in the link in our bio.
If any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to email us at info@makemusicmadison.org.
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
...

Meet Kristian Petrov Iliev!
As Board Secretary of Make Music Madison and lead singer of @theracingpulses , Kristian tells us about the importance of Make Music Day and performance arts!
You can check out Kristian and many other wonderful musical acts at Make Music Madison on Tuesday, June 21st from 8 AM to 9 PM!
Special thanks to Kristian and @microtonemedia for this very special video!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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A reminder to all venue hosts and performers!
Venue material pickup will take place on Saturday, June 11th from 11AM to 2PM! Please arrange a method of pickup within this time frame, and continue to watch your email for further information!
For further questions, reach out to us at info@makemusicmadison.org
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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Meet Angela Puerta!
We sat down with singer and neighborhood planner @angelapuertamusic to share her thoughts on the power of Make Music Day and the importance of music to our economy.
Special thanks to Angela and @microtonemedia for the wonderful video!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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It's official! The final Make Music Madison numbers are out and they are amazing!
Thank you to all those who registered and plan to perform on Make Music Day, as well as our many generous sponsors.
Make sure to join us for a wonderful day of music and community on Tuesday, June 21st form 9AM to 8PM on the worldwide celebration of Make Music Day. Once again, thank you for these outstanding numbers!
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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Meet Leslie Damaso!
Between being an educator, small business owner, writer, and entrepreneur, Damaso speaks with us about her passion for the arts. See talented artists like Leslie and so many more at Make Music Madison on June 21st!
Special thanks to both @lesliedamasomusic and @microtonemedia for this very special video!
#makemusicmadison #makemusicday
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The Make Music Day art for 2022 has officially been released! Thank you to Lauden Nute (@americantrashcorp) for this wonderful art to promote this worldwide celebration of music and community.
Join us June 21st from 8 AM to 9 PM in Madison to enjoy a day of music, fun, and community.
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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ATTENTION PERFORMERS/VENUE HOSTS:
Matchmaking has been extended to Saturday, June 4th at 11:59PM!
A few things to note:
-Make sure to accept or deny all remaining requests
-Clean up your show requests. To be finalized, both parties must confirm the request.
If you haven't already, make sure to use the matchmaking system to find your venue for Make Music Day!
All finalized listings will appear under the "listings" tab on our website.
If facing any concerns or just need some help, do not hesitate to reach out at info@makemusicmadison.org
#makemusicday #makemusicmadison
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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