Make Music Day returns Wednesday. How to find free performances all over Salem, Keizer

Tracy Loew, Salem Statesman Journal
·2 min read
Shmorgan performs in front of The Freckled Bee during the 2022 Make Music Day in Salem.
Shmorgan performs in front of The Freckled Bee during the 2022 Make Music Day in Salem.

Free, live outdoor performances will take place all over Salem and Keizer June 21, the longest day of the year, as part of Make Music Day Salem.

The annual event runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is part of a global celebration of music-making in more than 1,000 cities worldwide.

Locally, more than 160 musicians will give about 250 performances at about 60 venues.

The celebration comes from the Fete de la Musique, an event that began in France in 1982.

It began as a call to musicians in Paris to get out in the streets and perform on the summer solstice. It has since spread to Europe and parts of Africa, as well as cities in the United States.

This will be Salem’s eighth consecutive year participating as one of more than 100 cities in the U.S. celebrating Make Music Day.

Peter Frajola and Erin Furbeeat of the Oregon Symphony perform at Gerry Frank Salem Rotary Amphitheater during Make Music Day in 2022.
Peter Frajola and Erin Furbeeat of the Oregon Symphony perform at Gerry Frank Salem Rotary Amphitheater during Make Music Day in 2022.

Musicians will perform in larger venues, such as the Gerry Frank-Salem Rotary Amphitheater, as well as alleys, parks and porches.

Genres range from Celtic to country, from folk to funk and from rock to religious.

Performers this year include event favorite Wild Ire, an organ bike, members of the Oregon Symphony, and Portland’s Unipiper.

“There will be every kind of music you can imagine, scattered not just downtown but all around,” said Mark Green, an event co-founder and volunteer.

There also will be participatory events, where people can try things and learn, Green said.  Those include a harmonica play-along, bucket drumming, shower karaoke and a “found sound” event where people can make music using household items.

Make Music Day operates on a budget of about $7,000, which pays for permits, insurance and sound systems. The event doesn’t pay musicians, although venues may.

“The idea is for it to be on the first full day of summer, outside and free to participate,” Green said.

Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Make Music Day returns Wednesday. How to find free performances