About
The 2nd annual Make Music Beloit celebration is Friday, June 21, 2024. The city will come alive with music in the streets, parks, offices, schools, and unique venues near you!
Make Music Beloit is a free, citywide, day of music held annually on June 21. Our festival is part of the larger Make Music Day, an international summer solstice music celebration occurring in 1,000+ cities across the globe. Did you know that Wisconsin has more cities participating in Make Music Day than any other state in the United States?
Make Music Beloit is:
- Performed by Anyone, Enjoyed by Everyone.
- A way to celebrate the start of summer and sample a wide variety of musical styles and tastes.
- A DIY city-wide celebration when almost any way to make music can and will happen.
- Open to music makers of all ages, skill levels, and musical interests.
- In 2024, a total of 42 performances are scheduled (with more to happen spontaneously!) by 27 different artists or groups at 18 unique venues. [Plus, two bonus events the night before, as well as solar-powered instruments at Beckman Mill County Park to have fun with!]
- In 2023, a total of 34 performances were scheduled by 24 different artists or groups at 13 unique venues.
When?
Annually on June 21
Where?
View the listings that have been confirmed below.
Who is Make Music Beloit?
Celestino Ruffini, Tracy Bliss, and Savannah Schindler of Visit Beloit
Brenda Plakans of Welty Environmental Center
Shauna El-Amin of Downtown Beloit Association
Nancy Clark-Mather of Beloit FilmWorks LLC
Jody Wittnebel of Youth Unite
Julie Uram of Nature at the Confluence
To join our group of volunteers for outreach, publicity, sponsorships, and planning, email us at beloit@makemusicday.org
Community
ADDED BONUS!
The 2nd annual Make Music Beloit celebration will be kicked off by two special performances on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at Nature at the Confluence and The Castle.
Nature at the Confluence will be hosting a Community Fire & Drum Circle on June 20 from 6:30-8 p.m. This is a free event for all to attend.
The Castle Beloit will be hosting Carvin Jones, “one of the 50 greatest blues guitarists of all times” according to Guitarist Magazine, on June 20 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Tickets are available here.
Additionally, we encourage everyone to visit Beckman Mill County Park for their new playground music instruments. Thanks to the memorial of Terri Marquis, daughter of Jim & Sheri Disrud, the park now features drums, a guitar panel, and a keyboard panel that are battery powered and can be played by all who wish to do so.
Watch the video below, edited by Jake Handrich, for scenes from Make Music Day Beloit in 2023.
Participate
Musicians: All styles, ages, and experience levels are invited to register to perform! You can play one set or schedule as many shows as you like.
Venues: Whether you have a garden, office, pontoon boat, sidewalk, café, or other space in mind, it’s easy and there’s no cost to participate.
Important Dates:
- Venue Registration Opens: February 1
- Musician Registration Opens: March 1
- Matchmaking Begins: April 1
- Registration Closes: June 5
- Matchmaking Ends: June 7
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 beloit@makemusicday.org.
Who can host?
- Is your venue located in Beloit?
- Is it free and accessible to the public?
Questions? – Email beloit@makemusicday.org.
Listings
2024 Listings: Friday, June 21st
Support
Sponsorship Opportunities
This citywide event creates a stronger community for all. Your partnership allows the event to be promoted to those near and far. To learn more about sponsoring this event, please contact us at beloit@makemusicday.org.
Contact
Get in touch with us at beloit@makemusicday.org.