Wilmington to Celebrate its first International Make Music Day
Friday, June 21, the Summer Solstice, from 6 to 9 PM, Plaza on Princess
Music performed by anyone. Free for everyone.
International Make Music Day, a celebration founded in France in 1982, is coming to Wilmington for the first time. Already celebrated in more than 1,000 cities in 120 different countries, Make Music Day is unlike a typical music festival; it’s open to anyone who wants to take part — amateur and professional, young or old, regardless of musical persuasion. Timed to celebrate the Summer Solstice, Make Music Day is from 6 to 9 PM on Friday, June 21. All Make Music Day programming is free and open to the public and will take place at Plaza on Princess on the Harrelson Center campus at 4th and Princess streets, downtown. For more information, visit wilmington.makemusicday.org/.
“We are thrilled to bring International Make Music Day to Wilmington, providing an opportunity for music that is performed by anyone and is free for everyone,” said Rhonda Bellamy, CEO of the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County, which received a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council to sponsor the event. In addition to Wilmington, the North Carolina Arts Council is supporting Make Music Day in eight counties, as well as Statesville, Raleigh and Winston-Salem.
The goal of Make Music Day is to allow music to pour onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches and provide music that is shared with friends, neighbors, and strangers. The Harrelson Center and its event venue, Plaza on Princess, provide an ideal indoor/outdoor and central downtown location to accommodate numerous musical performances, jam sessions, a “petting zoo” of musical instruments, choral groups and those who simply gather to enjoy.
The Arts Council invites musicians and vocalists of all kinds to collaborate on making June 21 a musical masterpiece. Singers, church choirs, jazz combos, rock bands, glee clubs, DJs, marching bands, mariachi bands, and every kind of musician, of any age group or skill level, are welcome. Musicians can register their interest at wilmington.makemusicday.org/
Among the special projects organizers are hoping to host is Sousapalooza, an invitation for amateur musicians with brass, wind or percussion instruments to come together and sightread the music of John Philip Sousa. Established in 2011 by Make Music Chicago, “Sousapalooza, 2024, looks to gather all those people who once played in a marching band, to get their instrument out of the basement, give it a good tune-up and then show up to play together at Make Music Wilmington,” said Ms. Bellamy. Musicians should visit the website and follow the prompt to register their interest.
Other Wilmington venues that will host free music performances on Friday, June 21st, are also welcome to register their program at wilmington.makemusicday.org/.
About Arts Council of Wilmington
Celebrating its 12th year as the nucleus of Wilmington’s dynamic arts sector, the Arts Council of Wilmington & NHC supports artists, arts organizations, and audiences through innovative public/private partnerships that develop jobs, stimulate commerce, and showcase the region as an arts destination.
Our portfolio of services encourages cultural excellence, diversity, access, and participation through core programs and initiatives, including a robust grantmaking program, aggressive arts marketing, and oversight of popular programs like Fourth Friday Gallery Nights, Pedestrian Art public art, the Wilmington Theater Awards, ACES Gallery, and the Wilmington Rail Trail.
About the Harrelson Center
The Harrelson Center is Wilmington, North Carolina’s campus for nonprofits. Established as a 501c3 in 2008, its mission is to provide a centralized, collaborative campus for nonprofit humanitarian organizations that offer hope, opportunity and empowerment. Below-market rent and administrative resources foster greater operational stability for the Center’s nonprofit partners, while shared common ground and purpose assure nonprofit leaders capitalize on each other’s strengths and perspectives.