Fifteen years ago, the Fête de la Musique crossed the Atlantic with the debut of Make Music New York.
Starting as a grassroots initiative by a team of volunteers, the event quickly became a critical and popular success. Today, over 5,000 New York musicians – amateurs and professionals, of all ages and musical persuasions – perform in more than 1,000 free, outdoor concerts each June 21st, earning praise for their “inspiring” (New York Times) and “thrilling” (New Yorker) performances.
In recent years, other cities across North America have launched their own Make Music celebrations. On June 21, 2021, 98 North American cities organized 3,334 free concerts at over 1,000 locations… all on a single day.
In 2014, to coordinate and expand their efforts, Make Music organizers from across North America founded the Make Music Alliance.