About
What is Make Music Day?
Make Music Day is an annual celebration that occurs each June 21, when people in more than 1,000 cities worldwide make music together on the summer solstice.
In York County, Pennsylvania, Make Music Day has been celebrated by Menchey Music for many years, and in 2022, Menchey teamed up with the York County Cultural Alliance to push this even out to reach more of the County. Now, Make Music Day is a large, collaborative celebration with a hub of activity in Downtown York, and additional events being hosted in libraries and other locations around town.
Join Make Music Day
Make Music Day brings joy, inspires creativity, and transforms communities. It celebrates and promotes the natural music maker in all of us, regardless of ability.
Everyone is invited to participate in Make Music Day by hosting, participating in, & attending events.
| Want to host an event? Register your location, and invite registered musicians to perform or teach! Libraries, a park near your house, your coffee shop, restaurant, kids place, summer camp, etc!) | Want to Perform? Register yourself, your band, your students or group and request to perform at one of the registered venues! Now booking: music teachers, drum circle leaders, choirs, bands, solo performers, kids performers, the sky is the limit! |
Join our Make Music Day Committee or Volunteer to help for the day! Contact: Rita@culturalyork.org | Attend an event for free! Check out the 2024 Listings of Events |
Make Music Day 2024 is proud to partner with:
and
Thank you to all of the generous Make Music Day Sponsors!
Participate
Want to host an event for Make Music Day, York County?
Follow the steps below to register on the York County matchmaking site.
Step 1: On the York County matchmaking site, register as a venue/location looking to host musicians and events OR as a musician seeking to lead an event (or both!)
Step 2: If/When you are requested by a venue or performer, you’ll receive an email, and will then be able to plan out any details for the event directly with the venue or performer who is booking with you.
Step 3: Once both the venue and musician confirm the event and details on the matching website, the MMD Admin will approve the event and it will be listed on the website.
Step 4: Promote your event! Make Music Day, York County will provide social media and poster templates for all participants to use. The Make Music Day committee will also be using radio ads, billboards, and traditional advertising to promote all MMD events.
Step 5: Make Music! The Make Music Day, York County team will stay in touch in the time leading up to the event to make sure you have any support you need.
Resources
Learn how to use our Matchmaking Website
- Tutorial on setting up an account
- Tutorial on creating a PERFORMER profile
- Tutorial on creating a VENUE profile
- Creating an EVENT
Make Music Day promotional materials
- Google Folder of Promo Materials for Events (logos, posters, templates)
- Facebook Account
- Instagram Account
Volunteer
Do love people, love York, love music, and would like to get involved with Make Music Day? We need volunteers to attend events, help kids with music-making, give directions, and more!
Fill out our volunteer form to see where you can help!
Contact us for help whenever you need it!
Email: yorkcounty@makemusicday.org
Ideas for Make Music Day Events
As a Business or Organization:
- Invite musicians to meet up outside a local nursing home and play “window serenades” to those inside
- Host a day of outdoor concerts/showcases/open mics for the lesson-taking students in your community
- Host a workshop to make instruments from recycled or non-traditional materials
As a Musician:
- Host an outdoor drum circle
- Host an outdoor jam session that day with friends
- Set up to busk in Downtown York
- Teach first-time musicians how to play the ukulele or harmonica, virtually or in person
- Host an outdoor guitar strum–along for customers and community members
2024 MMD Featured Events
Music on the Square
11:00am-5:00pm
– Jam out with Weary Arts Group and Shine Music Foundation, bring your own instrument to play along or use one of ours!
– Bucket Drumming
-Live Band Karaoke
– Rhythm Instruments galore (shakers, book whackers, rhythm sticks)
Kazoo Parade!
Everyone can play a kazoo
Everyone is welcome to join the parade! We’ll be playing When the Saints Go Marching In in the key of F for those with instruments! AND kazoos will be available for everyone to play along and march with the parade from Continental Square down to the York Revolution Stadium!
Participants can meet on Continental Square starting at 4:30, parade begins at 5pm. The incredible York Temple Guard will perform upon arrival at WellSpan Park.
OR Start at Keystone Kidspace and make your own kazoo! Both groups will converge at WellSpan Park.
Make Music Night at WellSpan Park
4:00-6:30PM: Party on the Plaza (Free and Open for all!)
– Live Music by the Anna Alexander Trio and Swing Dancing!
– Craft Tables
– Instrument Petting Zoo with Menchey Music
– Interactive Kids music making with Kindermusic (4-5pm).
5:30-6:30: Gates Open for the Baseball Game (Tickets Required)
– Kazoo Giveaways for the first 1,000 people thanks to Explore York!
– Epic Star Spangled Banner
– Make Music Day themed Jersey Auction benefitting the Cultural Alliance
– Crowd Karaoke
– Lancaster vs York Kazoo-off
– Fan Rhythm Section
*A portion of each ticket sold through this link will be donated back to the Cultural Alliance of York County.
Full Event Listings
2024 Listings: Friday, June 21st
Support
Make Music Day York County is hosted by the Cultural Alliance of York County, and supported through sponsorships from partners who understand the benefit of bringing the community together through music.
Sponsorships are still available, all sponsorship requests should be directed toward Rita Whitney, Rita@culturalyork.org.
The Cultural Alliance of York County brings arts and culture to life through contributions by individuals and companies who recognize the vital role that the arts play in the lives of York County citizens.
You can support future Make Music Day efforts by contributing to the Cultural Alliance of York County at www.culturalyork.org/donate
Press
2023 Press Coverage for York County Make Music Day
- “Watch York County residents jam out in annual Make Music Day,” by Tina Locurto, York Dispatch, June 22, 2023
- “Make Music Day: Gretchen Dekker, Pianist,” Fox 43, June 21, 2023
- “Sights and sounds of York’s Make Music Day,” by Tina Locurto, York Dispatch, June 21, 2023
- “York’s Make Music Day unites musicians of all ages for single day of play,” by Tina Locurto, York Dispatch, June 21, 2023
- “Joyful Noise rings out in downtown York for Make Music Day,” by Cyera Williams, Fox 43, June 21, 2023
- “Make Music Day brings beautiful melody to York County,” CBS 21 News, June 21, 2023
- “York County Celebrates ‘Make Music Day’ with kazoo parade,” by Lara Bonatesta, WHTM Harrisburg, June 21, 2023
- “Artists turn pianos into masterpieces for World Music Day,” by Daniella Heminghaus, York Dispatch, June 16, 2023
- “Band previews ‘Make Music Day’ with free York concert,” by Madison Montag, ABC 27 News, June 13, 2023
- “Want to learn guitar or join a kazoo parade? York’s Make Music Day will make that possible,” by Tina Locurto, York Dispatch, June 12, 2023
Contact
Get in touch with us at yorkcounty@makemusicday.org
Make Music Day is organized in York County by the York County Cultural Alliance
Learn more about the Cultural Alliance at www.culturalyork.org