Make Music Kansas City MO

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Make Music Kansas City

Ring in the summer with a worldwide day of music! On June 21, celebrate Make Music Kansas City on streets, sidewalks, and parks across the city, with music performed by anyone and free for everyone.

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About

Make Music Day in Kansas City is part of a global event that aims to strengthen social and cultural ties, elevate the profile of our city, and support amateur and professional musicians and educators on the longest day of the year!

What is Make Music Kansas City? 
Make Music Kansas City, part of the international Fête de la Musique, is a celebration of sound, occurring annually on June 21st. Make Music Day is free to attend and participate in,and is open to all ages, genres, styles, and abilities. During the daylong event, the metro comes alive with music. Performances take place on city sidewalks, in parks, coffee shops, museums, venues, and even on front porches.

Who can participate?
Anyone and any location! Performers and venues donate their time, talent, and space to celebrate all music, all musicians, all throughout the metro. A goal of Make Music Day is to place live music in unexpected places, so get creative! 

How does it work?
Performers and venues create a profile via the online registration tool (opens April 21st). From there, musicians can request performances at venues and venues can request musicians to perform; it’s what we like to call matchmaking. Once a performance is accepted, it will automatically be added to the final schedule.

Who Benefits?
Kansas City Metro – Music is a universal language and has the compelling power to bring diverse groups of individuals together. Make Music Day is a time to come together as a city and celebrate the start of summer and the talented musicians and educators that live here.

Performers – Make Music Kansas City is dedicated to helping fuel the success of local musicians. We do this through promotions, connections and support year-round via our social media avenues. Make Music Day provides an outlet for musicians and introduces them to new audiences.

Venues – Whether it’s a city park, or a local business or attraction hosting music, people are going to come and listen. We hope that having music at your business will draw in not only listeners, but new and more customers to your space.

2025 KC MAKE MUSIC DAY FUN FACTS
146 Free Live Music Events
86 Participating Artists
45 Host Venues

More Information:
Make Music KC Facebook>>
Make Music KC Instagram>>
Download the Make Music KC App>>

CONTACT: heidi.markle@kcmo.org

Join the worldwide celebration of music on June 21! Registration opens April 21, 2026.

Make Music is a free celebration of music around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries. Make Music will be happening city-wide in Kansas City again this June!

Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — pours onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches to share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public.

Participate

2026 REGISTRATION IS OPEN>>

Performers: create your profile by submitting a photo, description of your act, and any relevant website/social media links. Check out the available venues and bid on one that will fit your needs. The venue will confirm your request, and you’re good to go.

Venues: create a profile by submitting your location information and a description of the space. Peruse the musician profiles to request a performance, or welcome musicians to bid on your space independently. Confirm the connection and make sure your space is ready to go on June 21st!

We’d love to hear from you! Let KC Parks know how you wish to participate in Kansas City’s annual city-wide Make Music Day.

Heidi Markle
heidi.markle@kcmo.org
816-513-7527

More Information:
Make Music KC Facebook>>
Make Music KC Instagram>>
Download the Make Music KC App>>

Who else is taking part?

Over 89 artists, including:

  • 96Strings
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  • Angie Fights Crime
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  • Ashley Smith
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  • Ashton Barker
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  • Austin Mitchell
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  • B-Side Band
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  • Bands Undercover
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  • Bayati Band
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  • Belmura
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  • Beth and Brandon
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  • Big Luke and the Soul Disciples
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  • Brooke Mertz
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  • Caleb Allen
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  • CarTunes
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  • Cel$
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  • Chaos In Red
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  • Charlie Castillo
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  • Chill Phil Steel Pan Man
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  • Chris Wenske
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  • Christian Dixon
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  • Christy Spadafore
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  • Cia Michelle
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  • Dan Riggs Big Band
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  • Dave Panico - "The Soaring Saxman"
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  • David Mathews
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  • Dee Debrick
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  • Dennis Quinn
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  • Denny Dlabal
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  • Eboni Fondren Quartet presented by the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
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  • Elise Del Vecchio
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  • FREE Harmonica Experience for Beginners
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  • FREE Urban Bucket Brigade Bootcamp with Jaisson Taylor
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  • Folk in the Flow
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  • Frequency Divide
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  • Frog featuring The Wades
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  • Into the Trees
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  • Jacobo Barriga
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  • Jason Vivone and the Billy Bats
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  • Jass
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  • JaySol
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  • Jazzy Jams
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  • Jim Chandler
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  • Jim Mathis
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  • Joe Randolph
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  • Just Angel
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  • KC Blues Bombers
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  • Kat Kelley
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  • Kathy and David Show
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  • Lakesiders
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  • Landon Bartholomew
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  • Left Unsupervised
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  • Les Izmore
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  • Lizzi Leigh
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  • Lonnie Fisher
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  • Losers Weepers
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  • Lost Suitcase Band
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  • Make Music Troubadours
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  • Mark Parks
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  • Millie Edwards
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  • Music House
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  • Nneoma Lanea
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  • OTH Youngin
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  • PO Sim Head and Harry Brewster
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  • Platte City Community Band Musicians PLUS All Welcome to Join In!
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  • Prairie Dulcimer Club
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  • Pure Sweetness Entertainment Band
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  • RBI's FREE Rhythm Band Workshop
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  • Reagan Sheedy
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  • Ride the Desert Storm on a Fire Pony
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  • Rob Penas
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  • Ryan Giffin
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  • Samantha Weber
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  • Sass-a-Brass
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  • School of Rock Lee's Summit House Band
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  • SiRr Xecellence
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  • Sweet Caroline
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  • Swope Ridge Friends and Neighbors
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  • The Barton Street Band
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  • The Elles
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  • The Fur and the Fang
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  • The Oscar Polk AllStar Band
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  • Tica Felise
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  • Tyrone Lewis
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  • Una Cantamus
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  • Victim_To_The_Cold
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  • We would like to be matched with an Artist
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  • Zero Notions
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  • jarrod casner
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  • whateveramoon

Over 32 venues, including:

  • City Market
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  • Country Club Plaza
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  • Country Club Plaza - Neptune Fountain park
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  • Diebel's Plaza
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  • Diebel's Sportsmens Gallery
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  • Downtown Kansas City Kansas (Pocket Park near Security Bank)
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  • Dunbar Park
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  • Englewood Theater
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  • FIFA Fan Festival
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  • Frost Frozen Bar
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  • Hyde Park Farmers Market
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  • Jalapeños Mexican Restaurant
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  • Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
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  • Knuckleheads Saloon
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  • Lakeside Nature Center
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  • Midtown/Westport/Plaza
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  • Mill Creek Park
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  • Or HaOlam
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  • Oscar Polk's LIVE on The Drive
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  • Pendleton Heights Community Garden
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  • Pendleton Heights Pocket Park
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  • Platte County Courthouse Lawn - Main St-Downtown Platte City, MO 64079
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  • Quercus Art Garden
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  • Rock Island Bridge
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  • Rojas Front Porch
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  • Spring Valley Park
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  • Starlight Theatre
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  • Swope Ridge Neighborhood
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  • The Arterie
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  • The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
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  • Trailside Center
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  • Union Station Kansas City

Click Here to Sign Up

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Thank you to our Make Music Kansas City sponsors!

Media

Registration for Make Music Day in Kansas City is Open!

April 21, 2026 . . . Kansas City Parks and Recreation is excited to announce the return of Make Music KC on June 21st!  Registration for host venues and performers officially opens on April 21st for the sixth annual city-wide musical celebration. 

Joining over 1,000 cities around the world, Make Music Kansas City is free to attend and participate in, and is open to all ages, genres, styles, and abilities. During the daylong event, the entire metro (and world) comes alive with music as venues donate their space and artists donate their time to provide free, live music performances in various, and often, unexpected locations. 

WHAT: Make Music Day in Kansas City
WHEN: Sunday, June 21, 2026
TIME: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. 
WHERE: Across the KC metro
More about Make Music KC>>

HOW TO PARTICIPATE (Registration is open through June 14, 2026)
You can participate by registering as a performer or a venue! Just login to our registration website and complete or update your profile. You can then use the matchmaking feature to make a match worthy of celebration!

Who is considered a performer? Are you making music of some kind? You’re a performer.

What is considered a venue? It could be your front porch, the sidewalk in front of your business, the front steps of your church, a street corner, a stage in your pub, a park or just about anywhere that can house a musician!

PERFORMER
Register Here for Make Music Kansas City>> kcmo.makemusicday.org
  • Login or create your profile (top right corner)
  • If creating an account, you will be sent an email to verify before proceeding
  • Update or create your profile by submitting a photo, a description of your act and any relevant website/social media links
  • Check out the available venues and select one that will fit your needs. You can also wait for venues to select you.
  • Once you select venues and times, the venue will confirm your request, and you’re good to go.
  • Be sure to check back often for updated venue options and requests.
  • If you already have a free public performance booked for June 21st, you can add it as an event to be included on the Make Music KC website calendar and App
HOST VENUE
Register Here for Make Music Kansas City>> kcmo.makemusicday.org
  • Login or create your profile (top right corner)
  • If creating an account, you will be sent an email to verify before proceeding
  • Create or update your profile with location information, a description of the space, amenities provided, preferred musical genres
  • Review the musician profiles to request a performance, or welcome musicians to select your space independently.
  • The musician will confirm your request and you’re good to go.
  • Be sure to check back often for updated performer options.
  • Stay in communication with your scheduled performers to update and confirm event day details/logistics.
  • If you are already hosting a free public performance on June 21st, you can add it as an event to be included on the Make Music KC website calendar and App

Performers and venues for the event are paired through our matchmaking site that takes into account all sorts of preferences like available times, music genre, whether your set requires power and so on. In 2025, we had 146 confirmed performances all around the metro! Registration for 2026 is open through June 14. Happy Pairing! 

OTHER IDEAS/WORKSHOPS/QUESTIONS
If you would like to lead a workshop/jam session or perform in a KC Parks location/facility (not already listed as a venue), contact Heidi Markle at heidi.markle@kcmo.org or 816-513-7527.

Please note: If you are trying to register on your cell phone, you may receive an error as your phone may have blocked a pop-up message confirming your registration. We suggest using a tablet, laptop or desktop computer for the initial registration step.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
Website:  www.makemusicday.org/kcmo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MakeMusicKCMO
Instagram: www.instagram.com/makemusickcmo

Thank you, Kansas City, for your support of Make Music Day! We are thrilled and amazed at how this event continues to evolve! Kansas City is full of incredible music makers who were featured at free live music events around the metro on June 21st #MakeMusicDay

Thank you to all the artists for donating your time and talent. Thank you also to the venues that hosted performances, making free live music accessible to all. We truly appreciate you for being part of this worldwide celebration of music and a very exciting day for the Kansas City area.

Every year is a bit different for Make Music Day in Kansas City (although the weather seems to remain the same—HOT)! Next year will be unique as Make Music Day 2026 takes place during the WORLD CUP. It will be fun to host this global celebration of music with the world while the world is here in Kansas City!!

Save the date~June 21st~every year!!! Registration will open April 21, 2026

The Metro Comes Alive with the Sound of Music for the Fifth Annual Make Music Day in Kansas City

Kansas City Parks & Recreation is proud to present the fifth annual Make Music Day KC, a free, metro wide celebration of sound and community taking place this Saturday, June 21, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

This year’s event promises to be bigger than ever, with 84 artists performing more than 140 free live music events at 44 venues across the Kansas City metro area. From sidewalks to parks, cafes to community centers, live music will fill the air throughout the day—and into the evening.

Make Music Day KC is part of the international Make Music Day initiative, which takes place every year on the summer solstice. It’s a global celebration of music in all its forms, open to people of all ages, skill levels, and musical tastes. Kansas City’s event is coordinated locally by KC Parks.

🎵 Plan Your Day
To help you explore all the musical happenings around town, download the free Make Music KC app, available under Grandstand Events & Guides in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Here’s how:

  1. Download “Grandstand Events + Guides”
  2. Search for “Make Music Day“
  3. Select “Make Music KC“
  4. Click “Load App“

The app includes an interactive map, artist bios, venue details, and performance schedules—everything you need to customize your Make Music experience!

📍 Where to Go
Make Music Day events are happening all over the metro—check out the full schedule on the App or Website to plan your musical journey.

Whether you’re enjoying a jazz trio in a park, singing along with a local choir, or discovering a new favorite band, you’re invited to take part in this celebration of creativity, connection, and community.

About Make Music Day
What started in France as the Fête de la Musique has grown into a global phenomenon, celebrated in more than 1,000 cities across 120 countries. Make Music Day is coordinated internationally by the Make Music Alliance and presented by the NAMM Foundation. Learn more at www.makemusicday.org.

Come out and experience the magic of music in every corner of Kansas City. Let’s make music, KC!

Register Now for Make Music Kansas City 
Be among the first to register as a host venue or performer on June 21st! 

Kansas City Parks and Recreation is excited to announce the return of Make Music KC on June 21st!  Performers and Host Venues can REGISTER NOW for the fifth annual city-wide musical celebration. 

Joining over 1,000 cities around the world, Make Music Kansas City is free to attend and participate in, and is open to all ages, genres, styles, and abilities. During the daylong event, the entire metro (and world) comes alive with music as venues donate their space and artists donate their time to provide free, live music performances in various, and often, unexpected locations. 

WHAT: Make Music Kansas City
WHEN: Saturday, June 21, 2025
TIME: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. 
WHERE: Across the metro

HOW TO PARTICIPATE (Registration is open through June 14, 2025)
You can participate by registering as a performer or a venue! Just login to our registration website and complete or update your profile. You can then use the matchmaking feature to make a match worthy of celebration!

Who is considered a performer? Are you making music of some kind? You’re a performer.

What is considered a venue? It could be your front porch, the sidewalk in front of your business, the front steps of your church, a street corner, a stage in your pub, a park or just about anywhere that can house a musician!

PERFORMER
Register Here for Make Music Kansas City 2025>> kcmo.makemusicday.org
HOST VENUE
Register Here for Make Music Kansas City 2025>> kcmo.makemusicday.org

Performers and venues for the event are paired through our matchmaking site that takes into account all sorts of preferences like available times, music genre, whether your set requires power and so on. In 2024, we had 120+ confirmed performances all around the metro! Registration for 2025 is open through June 14. Happy Pairing! 

OTHER IDEAS/WORKSHOPS/QUESTIONS
If you would like to lead a workshop/jam session or perform in a KC Parks location/facility (not already listed as a venue), contact Heidi Markle at heidi.markle@kcmo.org or 816-513-7527.

Please note: If you are trying to register on your cell phone, you may receive an error as your phone may have blocked a pop-up message confirming your registration. We suggest using a tablet, laptop or desktop computer for the initial registration step.

Download the Make Music KC App

**The App will be available prior to Friday; watch social media for updates**
We are trying something new this year to help navigate through the 150+ events taking place on Make Music Day. Introducing the FREE Make Music Kansas City App! Here’s how to get it:

1. Download Grandstand Events & Guides from the App Store on your mobile device
(either Apple or Google Play)

2. Search for or use the browse to find “Make Music Day”

3. Click on Make Music KC listing and click “Load App” ENJOY!

Check out Make Music Day Kansas City featured in Missouri Life Magazine: https://missourilife.com/play-it-loud-and-proud

One Hundred+ Free Performances Scheduled Across Metro Kansas City on Make Music Day

The free event celebrates all forms of music on the longest day of the year! 

Make Music Day in Kansas City has surpassed 120 scheduled free musical performances for the fourth annual city- wide event on Friday, June 21st. Make Music KC is part of Make Music Day, a global music celebration that takes place on the summer solstice each year and brings people of all ages and skill levels together. Make Music KC is coordinated by Kansas City Parks and Recreation.  

Hundreds of musicians and venues are participating in free performances and events all over metro Kansas City. In addition, two free participatory music making workshops are offered; a harmonica workshop in Swope Park and a bucket drumming clinic in Loose Park. 

To fully experience Make Music Day, attendees are encouraged to visit multiple locations throughout the day and evening. Check out the listings and create your schedule here, 2024 Make Music KC PERFORMANCE LISTINGS>>

WHAT: Make Music Day 
WHEN: June 21st, 2024, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.  
WHERE: Locations across the metro  

Register as a Host Venue or Performer 
You can still participate by registering as a performer or a venue! Just login to our website and complete or update your profile. You can then use the matchmaking feature to make a match worthy of celebration. Registration is open through June 14. Details>>

WORLD’S LARGEST ANNUAL MUSIC EVENT TO BE CELEBRATED ACROSS MISSOURI ON FRIDAY, JUNE 21

Hundreds of free outdoor music-making events to be held across the state


June 3, 2024 – Eight cities in Missouri will join forces 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, Columbia, Kansas City, Lee’s Summit, Liberty, Neosho, Rolla, Springfield and St. Louis are some of the 150+ U.S. cities hosting thousands of Make Music Day performances nationwide, as part of the world’s largest annual music event.

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.

“In 2024, Make Music Day will bring musicians out into the streets of almost every major city in Missouri,” said Aaron Friedman, Executive Director of the national Make Music Alliance. “Thanks to the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education, and dedicated organizers around the state, Make Music Missouri is gearing up for its biggest and best year yet!”

Highlights of Make Music Missouri include:

·      Columbia: Special music locations this year include Cooper’s Landing, The Blufftop at Rocheport: The A-Frame Winegarden, the Columbia Mall, and several locations downtown. Cafe Berlin in the North Village Arts District will have performances all day and a kids’ area for musical play with instruments provided.

·      Kansas City: Kansas City has over 40 venues and 100+ performances scheduled so far, with more joining every day! Bands Undercover brings together some of the more diverse musical talent that comes from the rich history of KC’s musical genres. Since the initial year, the talent that has participated in the Make Music Day event represents the legacy of blues, jazz, and roots that keeps traditional music thriving. And this year, Kansas City’s only dog bar and first-time host, Bar K, will feature an afternoon of free live music to enjoy with (or without) your furry best friend. 

·      Liberty: Join the Liberty Arts Commission for its ninth annual Make Music Liberty celebration! You’ll hear music across Liberty, at venues you might not expect, like local businesses, parks or a neighbor’s porch. Throughout the day there will be several Mass Appeal participatory events including a drum circle and a learn-to-play harmonica session. The schedule is filling fast and will feature 50+ performances from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., including STRUM Ukulele Band, Tom’s Town Band and the Heart of America Men’s Barbershop Chorus and Quartet.

·      Neosho: Neosho Arts Council will host two community concerts and send musicians into the Neosho School District’s summer-school programs. We will be holding a Lunch and Listen concert at the Neosho National Fish Hatchery at 11:30 am with jazz/blues guitarist Asher Perkins. Then the award-winning soft rock duo Common Roots will perform live in Big Spring Park from the historic 1928 Grecian stage. Summer-school students in Neosho will get to enjoy live performances from the traditional mountain folk group The Buffalo Creek Incident and more.

·      Rolla: Make Music Rolla, organized by the Rolla Choral Arts Society, will showcase a variety of performances and venues, including concerts for summer school students at Truman Elementary and Rolla Jr. High presented by Pat Kay, who tells stories and plays traditional Ozark music as a one-man band; and by teaching artist Syrhea Conaway who will show students how to build a musical instrument out of recycled materials. Soda and Scoops will once again host a student musician showcase from 2 – 5 p.m., which is open to additional participants. The evening concert will be at the Downtown Bandshell and Festival lawn behind City Hall, featuring the Rolla Town Band under the direction of Dr. David Samson, with special guests, the 399th Army Band “Rough Riders” from Fort Leonard Wood. 

·      Springfield: For Make Music Day Springfield’s inaugural year, The Acoustic Shoppe is hosting an all-day jam session in its parking lot. The jam is open to all ages and skill levels and will include food and a festive family atmosphere that is accessible to all. Organizers are working with other Springfield musicians and organizations to create the melodious lineup for our first exciting year.

·      St. Louis: St. Louis is excited to present a diverse selection of singer-songwriters in the area, plus events including a virtual tour of beginner piano classes with Pianos For People; Childbloom Guitar Program’s junior ensemble Viva Musica, as well as 6 String Players, an elite group of young teen musicians; and St. Louis Irish Arts will showcase multiple levels of musicianship.

Any musician, amateur or professional, young or old, is invited to visit MakeMusicDay.org to find the nearest Make Music Day celebration and sign up to participate. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions can visit the website to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations.

For links to participating cities throughout the state, visit makemusicday.org/missouri.

For more information, contact Karen Loew of the Make Music Alliance: karen@makemusicday.org, 917-621-5174.

###

About Make Music Day
Held annually on June 21 to coincide with the summer solstice, Make Music Day is part of the international Fête de la Musique taking place in thousands of cities across 120 countries. The daylong musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. This year, over 150 U.S. cities are organizing Make Music celebrations, encompassing thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Make Music Day is presented by The NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. For more information, please visit makemusicday.org.

Mayor Proclaims June 21st as Make Music Day in Kansas City!

REGISTRATION FOR MAKE MUSIC KANSAS CITY IS NOW OPEN!
Be part of free music events celebrating all forms of music on the longest day of the year!

Kansas City Parks and Recreation is excited to announce the return of Make Music KC on June 21st. Registration for host venues and performers opens April 21st for the fourth annual city-wide musical celebration.

Joining over 1,000 cities around the world, Make Music Kansas City is free to attend and participate in, and is open to all ages, genres, styles, and abilities. During the daylong event, the entire metro (and world) comes alive with music.

WHAT: Make Music Kansas City
WHEN: June 21st, 2024
TIME: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. 
WHERE: Across the metro

HOW TO PARTICIPATE (Registration is open April 21-June 17, 2024)
You can participate by registering as a performer or a venue! Just login to our website and complete or update your profile. You can then use the matchmaking feature to make a match worthy of celebration!

Who is considered a performer? Are you making music of some kind? You’re a performer.

What is considered a venue? It could be your front porch, the sidewalk in front of your business, the front steps of your church, a street corner, a stage in your pub, a park or just about anywhere that can house a musician!

1.  Performer
Register Here for Make Music Kansas City 2024 »
2. Host Venue
Register Here for Make Music Kansas City 2024 »

Performers and venues for the event are paired through our matchmaking site that takes into account all sorts of preferences like available times, music genre, whether your set requires power and so on. In 2023, we had 100+ confirmed performances all around the metro! Registration for 2024 is open April 21 through June 17. Happy Pairing! 

3. Other Ideas/Workshops/Questions
If you would like to lead a workshop/jam session or perform in a KC Parks location/facility (not already listed as a venue), contact Heidi Markle at heidi.markle@kcmo.org or 816-513-7527.

WEBSITE: Make Music Kansas City

Please note: If you are trying to register on your cell phone, you may receive an error as your phone may have blocked a pop-up message confirming your registration. We suggest using a tablet, laptop or desktop computer for the initial registration step.

MAYOR LUCAS & CITY COUNCIL PROCLAIM JUNE 21st “MAKE MUSIC KANSAS CITY DAY”

At the June 15th City Council meeting, a special action was presented by Councilman Eric Bunch proclaiming, for the third year, June 21st as “Make Music Kansas City Day” in Kansas City, Missouri. The announcement was celebrated with a performance of “Take Me Home to Kansas City” by local singer/songwriter David Luther.

Councilman Bunch with members of the Make Music KC committee and participants.

GOVERNOR RECOGNIZES MAKE MUSIC DAY IN MISSOURI

Kansas City, Columbia, Liberty, Rolla and St. Louis officially recognized by Governor Parson

Make Music Day, the worldwide festival of making music held annually on the summer solstice is a vast program with over 4,000 live, free music-making events across the United States on Wednesday, June 21. Launched in France in 1982 as the Fête de la Musique, Make Music Day has become a global phenomenon, celebrated by hundreds of millions of people in more than 1,000 cities around the world, including 120 cities in the U.S., where it has spread quickly after debuting in New York in 2007.

Last year, 104 U.S. cities organized 3,819 free Make Music events on June 21, with more than 100 concerts each in Cincinnati, Kansas City, Madison, New York, and Salem (OR). Over 120 cities are active, and well over 4,000 events are planned around the country.

Make Music Day festival will be celebrated in the following Missouri communities: Columbia, Kansas City, Liberty, Rolla and St. Louis. These cities are working in tandem in recognizing musicians of all levels and their dedication to keeping music in schools for all students in their efforts in building a stronger community.

Make Music Day is presented in the U.S. by The NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. The official hashtag is #MakeMusicDay. All Make Music Day events are free and open to the public.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR MAKE MUSIC DAY FREE URBAN BUCKET BRIGADE BOOTCAMP

Urban Bucket Brigade Bootcamp with Jaisson Taylor
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
1 p.m. Loose Park Shelter, 5200 Wornall
Bring the family for a fun outdoor drumming workshop! Using recycled buckets and a rhythm, students will learn about the role of music in various cultures and how those cultures influence what you hear in the music of the streets today.
Instructor-C. Jaisson Taylor: This journeyman musician has taken advantage of many opportunities to play around the world, visiting Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, South America and even the North Pole. These experiences permeate every rhythm he plays. A love of children guides his forays into education and music therapy. Through a long relationship with Kansas City Young Audiences, Jaisson helps influence the musical growth of area youth, through a variety of programs and has created an interactive approach to teaching young people.
Registration>>

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR MAKE MUSIC DAY HOHNER HARMONICA CLINIC

Hohner Harmonica Experience for Beginners
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
2 p.m. Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street
Local musician Russ ‘KidMan’ Schenke will be demonstrating basic technics and other insights on the harmonica. This clinic is open to all ages and no experience is necessary. A limited number of harmonicas will be provided courtesy of Hohner Harmonica. Learn a little bit and take some music with you!
Instructor-Russ Schenke: Originally from Chicago, Russ Schenke played and recorded with several American Roots and Blues bands before moving to to Kansas City and becoming part of Blues scene. He has focused for over a decade on blues harmonica, learning tone, style and skill from local legend Lee McBee, Jimmie Meade of LeVee Town and other KC harmonica greats.
Registration>>

Make Music Kansas City is Back for Its Third Year 

The free outdoor event celebrates all forms of music  

Kansas City Parks and Recreation is excited to announce the return of Make Music Day on June 21st. Registration is now open for the third annual city-wide musical celebration, a wild and wonderful mix of free outdoor events. Make Music KC is part of Make Music Day, a global music celebration that takes place on the summer solstice each year and brings people of all ages and skill levels together. 

WHEN: June 21st, 2023, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. 

WHERE: Across the metro 

How to Participate as a Performer or Venue: Any musician, amateur or professional, is invited to take part by signing up at https://makemusicday.org/kcmo/. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions can visit the website to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations. 

About Make Music International 
Held annually on June 21, Make Music Day is part of the international Fête de la Musique, taking place in over 1,000 cities across 120 countries. The daylong, musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. This year, over 80 U.S. cities and the entire states of Vermont and Connecticut are organizing Make Music celebrations, encompassing thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Make Music Day is presented by the NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. For more information, please visit www.makemusicday.org. 

Media from Previous Years

Free Music Making Clinics Offered on June 21
Harmonica and Bucket Drumming Clinics for all ages!

In celebration of Make Music Kansas City on June 21, adults and children of all ages are invited to learn a few notes on a free harmonica and/or join in on an interactive drumming workshop. Space is limited; registration is free, but requested.

Hohner Harmonica Experience for Beginners
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Noon Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street
Local musician Russ ‘KidMan’ Schenke will be demonstrating basic technics and other insights on the harmonica. This clinic is open to all ages and no experience is necessary. A limited number of harmonicas will be provided courtesy of Hohner Harmonica. Learn a little bit and take some music with you!
Instructor-Russ Schenke: Originally from Chicago, Russ Schenke played and recorded with several American Roots and Blues bands before moving to to Kansas City and becoming part of Blues scene. He has focused for over a decade on blues harmonica, learning tone, style and skill from local legend Lee McBee, Jimmie Meade of LeVee Town and other KC harmonica greats.
Registration>>

Urban Bucket Brigade Boot Camp
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
2:30 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard &Woodland Ave
Bring the family for a fun outdoor drumming workshop! Using recycled buckets and a rhythm, students will learn about the role of music in various cultures and how those cultures influence what you hear in the music of the streets today.
Instructor-C. Jaisson Taylor: This journeyman musician has taken advantage of many opportunities to play around the world, visiting Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, South America and even the North Pole. These experiences permeate every rhythm he plays. A love of children guides his forays into education and music therapy. Through a long relationship with Kansas City Young Audiences, Jaisson helps influence the musical growth of area youth, through a variety of programs and has created an interactive approach to teaching young people.
Registration>>

More
A key component of Make Music Day is the opportunity for non-musicians to create music themselves. Several additional hands-on participatory events will take place throughout the day, including:
• Musication Station at Union Station, a No Experience Required Music Making Event
• Rhythm Band Instruments at Dunbar Park
• Makey Makey music connections at City Market

ENTIRE SCHEDULE is available at Make Music Kansas City MO (makemusicday.org).

About Make Music KC
Kansas City’s inaugural citywide Make Music KC in 2021 was a huge success featuring 62 bands, ensembles and solo artists donating their time and talent via 101 music making events at 30 venues across metro Kansas City. Make Music KC is coordinated by Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation. Video from Make Music KC 2021>>

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Make Music Kansas City Returns on June 21!
Free Outdoor Music Making Events to be held across the City as Part of Annual Global Celebration

Registration is now open for the second annual city-wide Make Music Kansas City, a wild and wonderful mix of free outdoor musical events, on Tuesday, June 21. Make Music KC is part of Make Music Day, a global music celebration that takes place on the summer solstice each year and brings people of all ages and skill levels together. This year, over 80 U.S. cities will host thousands of Make Music performances as part of the world’s largest annual music event. Make Music KC is coordinated by Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation.

“Make Music Day is a great showcase of Kansas City’s vibrant live music scene,” says Coordinator Heidi Markle. “Artistic talent can be found overflowing the streets in every part of the city. With performances from individual amateurs to world-class ensembles, Make Music KC gives all of our residents and visitors a chance to experience the city’s diverse musical riches in their own backyards – or explore the sights and sounds of other neighborhoods and venues.”

Kansas City’s inaugural citywide Make Music KC in 2021 was a huge success featuring 62 bands, ensembles and solo artists donating their time and talent via 101 music making events at 30 venues across metro Kansas City. Watch Video from 2021>>

All musicians, amateur or professional, are invited to take part again this year by registering to participate/perform. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions can register to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations. Visit the Make Music KCMO website and click on PARTICIPATE to register.

A key component of Make Music Day is the opportunity for non-musicians to create music themselves. Several hands-on participatory events will take place throughout the day, including:
• Bucket Drumming Workshop at MLK Jr. Park
• Musication Station at Union Station, a No Experience Required Music Making Event
• Rhythm Band Instruments at Dunbar Park
• Horner Harmonica Clinic at Lemonade Park
• Makey Makey music connections at City Market
Registration for hands-on participatory events will open in early June. The entire Make Music Day schedule will also be released.

About Make Music International
Held annually on June 21, Make Music Day is part of the international Fête de la Musique, taking place in over 1,000 cities across 120 countries. The daylong, musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. This year, over 80 U.S. cities and the entire states of Vermont and Connecticut are organizing Make Music celebrations, encompassing thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Make Music Day is presented by the NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. For more information, please visit www.makemusicday.org.

KC CONTACT:
Heidi Markle, KC Parks Marketing & Events, 816-335-5672

Thank You Kansas City!

Thank you Kansas City for your support of #MakeMusicKC We were thrilled and amazed at the overwhelming response for this inaugural city wide event.

Kansas City is full of incredible music makers featured on Make Music Day at more than 100 music events around the metro! Thank you to all the musicians/performers for your time and talent! Thank you also to all the venues who hosted performances and all the people who came out to see them! We truly appreciate you for being part of this worldwide celebration of music and very exciting day in Kansas City. Save the date, June 21st, every year!!!

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Mayor Lucas Proclaims June 21st Make Music Day in Kansas City!

Eight One Sixty Show on The Bridge Highlights Make Music KC Talent>>

Make Music Kansas City debuts on June 21st!
Kansas City joins in the global celebration of free music events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2021

Make Music Kansas City, a wild and wonderful mix of free musical events, will make its debut on Monday, June 21. Make Music Day is a celebration of music held around the world on the same day in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries.

This year, Make Music will be happening city-wide for the first time in Kansas City. Hundreds of musicians are involved and will be playing all over KC. From The Kansas City Symphony to the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, to singer/songwriters like Eems, Kelly Hunt, and Nicole Springer playing in venues from Union Station to 18th & Vine Jazz District, seven KCMO Parks plus the Zoo, Knuckleheads, Lemonade Park and even the very top of the Liberty Memorial Tower-music will be everywhere!

“I am looking forward to seeing our neighborhoods come alive with music, celebrating the rich history and diverse talent of the Kansas City’s music scene, particularly after a long year of distance as our community grappled with COVID-19,” said Mayor Lucas. “Kansas City is proud to be home to so many musical pioneers, such as Charlie “Bird” Parker and William J. “Count” Basie, and we will continue to foster this spirit of creativity and innovation for generations to come. I encourage all to participate in Make Music Day to show support for the exceptional talent that exists in every neighborhood of our community.”

To date, 70+ performances and music making workshops have been scheduled throughout metro KC all day on Monday, June 21: SCHEDULE, ARTISTS & LOCATIONS>>

In addition to the free performances, Make Music KC features several unique musical experiences and participatory events happening only in Kansas City on June 21:

FREE Hohner Harmonica Experience for Beginners
11 a.m. Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street
All ages invited to come and learn a few notes on a free harmonica and leave playing some Blues with your own brand new harmonica from Hohner Harmonicas!
Instructor-Russ Schenke: Originally from Chicago, Russ Schenke played and recorded with several American Roots and Blues bands before moving to to Kansas City and becoming part of Blues scene. He has focused for over a decade on blues harmonica, learning tone, style and skill from local legend Lee McBee, Jimmie Meade of LeVee Town and other KC harmonica greats.
Registration>>

Musication Station: “No Experience Required Sound Making Event”
11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Jay McShann Pavilion, 1600 John “Buck” O’Neil Way
Kansas City is the first to introduce the Musication Station, a “No Experience Required Sound Making Event”, inspired by guitarist and sonic scientist Mark Stewart, and created by two area music instrument manufactures, B.A.C Music Company and RC Williams Company. Everyone is encouraged to stop by pick up a mallet to make some noise and have some fun!
More>>

“They Will Soon Be Coming Home Again”
12 Noon: Union Station-Grand Hall East, 30 West Pershing Rd.
Join classical vocalist, Jesse Sullinger, for a solo recital of beautiful music and reflection in Union Station’s Grand Hall East. This performance is a tribute to Union Station’s new exhibition Auschwitz, Not Long Ago. Not Far Away. Genres will include Opera, Art Song, and Spirituals.
Vocalist-Jesse J Sullinger: Jesse Sullinger is an up and coming classical vocalist in Kansas City. She grew up surrounded by classical music in Mexico City, and she appeared in several opera workshops as an undergraduate at William Jewell College. She sang the role of Emily in Barber’s Fortune’s Favorites, and during her year at Oxford University, she joined the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. She also had the privilege of covering the roles of the Second and Third Ladies in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with Landlocked Opera, Jesse participated in the Sewanee Opera Intensive 2021, and is a regular performer at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
More>>

FREE Urban Bucket Brigade Workshops 
1 p.m. Mill Creek Park, West 47th & Broadway
2 p.m. Dunbar Park, 5501 E 36th St.
Bring the family for a fun outdoor drumming workshop! Using recycled buckets and a rhythm, students will learn about the role of music in various cultures and how those cultures influence what you hear in the music of the streets today.
Instructor-C. Jaisson Taylor: This journeyman musician has taken advantage of many opportunities to play around the world, visiting Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, South America and even the North Pole. These experiences permeate every rhythm he plays. A love of children guides his forays into education and music therapy. Through a long relationship with Kansas City Young Audiences, Jaisson helps influence the musical growth of area youth, through a variety of programs and has created an interactive approach to teaching young people.
Registration>> 

Livestreamed Concert at the Top of the Tower
2 p.m. National World War I Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Drive
One of the most unique performances of Make Music KC, and perhaps the world, will take place 217 feet above Kansas City at the top of the Liberty Memorial Tower! Local musician, Desmond Mason, will be playing a portable Casio CT-S200 keyboard in a livestreamed concert at 2 p.m. on the Make Music KC Facebook page.
Musician-Desmond Mason: Desmond is a UMKC graduate, regular musician at Kansas City Jazz clubs, a charting music producer, and a member of the Historic Mutual Musicians Foundation
More>>

Bands Undercover
4-8 p.m. Knuckleheads Saloon, 2715 Rochester St.
“Bands Undercover,” is where musicians will come together to perform each other’s songs in a unique exchange of original music. Six local bands will take the stage between 4-8 p.m. each playing a brief set with three or four songs of their own and then playing songs with different musicians and covering each other’s material in a unique showcase of some of the best talent in Kansas City!
Participating Bands: LeVee Town, Howard Mahan, Hudspeth & Taylor, Jaisson Taylor, Heather Newman Band and Stranded in the City
More>>

Orange Lights and Fountains
Mayor Quinton Lucas has officially proclaimed June 21st as Make Music Day in Kansas City. In celebration, the Downtown skyline will be lit ORANGE on the evenings of Sunday, June 20 and Monday, June 21. KC Parks will join the festivities by dyeing Mill Creek and The Concourse Fountains ORANGE for the day as well as lighting the Waldo Water Tower and Seahorse Fountain.

About Make Music Day
Held annually on June 21 to coincide with the summer solstice, Make Music Day is part of the international Fête de la Musique, taking place in over 1,000 cities across 120 countries. The daylong, musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. This year, over 90 U.S. cities are organizing Make Music celebrations, encompassing thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Make Music Day is presented by the NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. Locally, Make Music Kansas City is coordinated by Kansas City Parks and Recreation. Kansas City, MO is a member city of the UNESCO Creative City Network (UCCN) and the only UCCN City of Music in the United States.

Several Make Music Kansas City venues featured in the Rolling Stone!
Read Article>>

Kansas City Featured as Make Music City of the Week!

Make Music City of the Week: Kansas City

Make Music Kansas City Debuts on June 21

Free Outdoor Music Making Events to be held across the City as Part of Annual Global Celebration

The first annual city-wide Make Music Kansas City, a wild and wonderful mix of free outdoor musical events, will make its debut on Monday, June 21. Make Music Kansas City is part of Make Music Day, a global music celebration that takes place on the summer solstice each year and brings people of all ages and skill levels together. This year, over 80 U.S. cities will host thousands of Make Music performances as part of the world’s largest annual music event. Make Music Kansas City is being coordinated by Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation.

“Make Music Day is a great showcase of Kansas City’s vibrant live music scene,” says KC Parks Director Terry Rynard. “Artistic talent can be found overflowing the streets in every neighborhood. With performances from individual amateurs to world-class ensembles, Make Music Kansas City will give all of our residents and visitors a chance to experience the city’s diverse musical riches in their own backyards – or explore the sights and sounds of other neighborhoods.”

Highlights of Make Music Kansas City include:

  • Lyric Opera performance at Dunbar Park
  • KC Symphony Ensemble Performance on The Great Lawn in Parade Park
  • Undercover Bands at Knuckleheads
  • Window Serenades at Residential Care Facilities
  • Kazoo Bands, Harmonica Clinics and Bucket Drumming

How to Participate as a Performer or Venue: Any musician, amateur or professional, is invited to take part by signing up at https://makemusicday.org/kcmo/. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions can visit the website to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations.

Contact

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MakeMusicKCMO
Instagram: www.instagram.com/makemusickcmo

Get in touch with Make Music Kansas City at heidi.markle@kcmo.org.

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