Make Music Day is a celebration of music on the summer solstice performed by anyone and enjoyed by everyone. The festival is on June 21st and goes all day. It takes place in over 1,000 cities around the world, including San Marcos, Texas! You’re invited to take part in the festivities and help show off the San Marcos music scene.

San Marcos is proud to be a Music Friendly Texas Community designated by the Texas Music Office and be home to a thriving community of talented music professionals.

How did Make Music Day start?

It all started 41 years ago in France.

In 1982, Jack Lang and his staff at the Ministry of Culture dreamed up an idea for a new kind of musical holiday. They imagined a day when free music would be everywhere, all around each city: street corners, parks, rooftops, gardens, and storefronts.

And, unlike a typical music festival, anyone and everyone would be invited to join and play music, or host performances. The event would take place on the summer solstice, June 21, and would be called Fête De La Musique. (In French, the name means both “festival of music” and “make music”.)

Amazingly enough, this dream has come true. The Fête has turned into a true national holiday: the country shuts down on the summer solstice and musicians take over. Almost 11% of French people (7 million people) have played an instrument or sung in public for the Fête de la Musique, and 64% of the country (43 million people) comes out each year to listen.

Four decades later, the holiday has spread worldwide and is now celebrated in more than 1,000 cities in 120 different countries.

How did it come to the United States?

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, thousands of New York musicians – amateurs and professionals, of all ages and musical persuasions – perform in hundreds of free, outdoor concerts each June 21, earning praise for their “inspiring” (New York Times) and “thrilling” (New Yorker) performances.

In recent years, cities nationwide have launched their Make Music celebrations on June 21, making this musical holiday a truly national phenomenon. On June 21, 2023, 117 U.S. cities organized 4,791 free concerts all on a single day.

Make Music Day is a celebration of music on the summer solstice that is performed by anyone and enjoyed by everyone. On Friday, June 21, 2024, more than 1,000 cities across 120 countries worldwide will be participating in and celebrating this global music event. This day is set aside to celebrate music in all its diverse forms and encourages people to come together.

Make Music Day San Marcos encourages live music performances across the city. Any genre, type, or skill level of music is welcome.

Sign Up to participate as a musician or host location!

Get in touch with us at sanmarcos@makemusicday.org

Learn more about Listen San Marcos and connect with our local music community at ListenSanMarcos.com.