Make Music Winter, a free, outdoor music-making celebration on the winter solstice, expands nationwide this year on Friday, December 21 with joyful and dynamic participatory musical events and parades representing a variety of styles taking place in over 20 U.S. cities.
The all-day musical celebration on the shortest day of the year brings together people of all ages, musical abilities and genres to sing, play, march and dance their way across streets, parks, plazas, and other public spaces. Make Music Winter, which launched eight years ago in New York City, is the cold-weather counterpart to Make Music Day, the annual global celebration of music occurring each June 21, the summer solstice.
In addition to the flagship event in New York City, where 12 participatory musical parades will be held across the five boroughs, Make Music Winter celebrations will take place in Charleston (South Carolina), Chattanooga (Tennessee), Crystal Lake (Illinois), Fort Lauderdale (Florida), Groton (Connecticut), Hartford (Connecticut), Lockport (New York), Long Beach (California), Los Angeles (California), Meridian (Idaho), Montclair (New Jersey), Nashville (Tennessee), New Haven (Connecticut), Ossining (New York), Pahokee (Florida), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Provo (Utah), Roosevelt (Utah), Salem (Oregon), San Diego (California), Southlake (Texas), Springfield (Pennsylvania) and Willimantic (Connecticut). Additional participating cities will be announced in November.
“Every summer, Make Music Day gives people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds the chance to spontaneously participate in public music-making of every kind,” said Aaron Friedman, president of the Make Music Alliance. “By launching Make Music Winter nationwide, we are providing another exciting opportunity for communities across the nation to unite in music-making and bring the spirit of holiday music into a new creative space.”
Highlights of Make Music Winter 2018 will include: Bell by Bell (a parade), Electric Guitar Parades and Ukulele Parades, Percussion Parades, and Christmas Caroling Parades.
Additionally, music will take over the streets in several participating Make Music Winter cities. In Montclair (New Jersey), separate musical parades led by Bike Walk Montclair, Montclair Academy of Dance and Laboratory of Music, and Music Together, will occur throughout the town and converge in the town center for an outdoor jam session, bonfire and dance party. In Ossining (New York), musicians will play at many of the decorated homes with elaborate Christmas lights, as well as in stores, parks, and restaurants around town, and at a holiday caroling meeting up. Also, Salem (Oregon) will hold several participatory parades, and a concert of unusual holiday songs by groups such as Blink 182 and The Ramones. In Hartford, the music making will include traveling performances by the Music Moves Hartford Choir, a program of Cuatro Puntos, serving men and women who are experiencing homelessness. The choir will be joined by the Hartford Hot Several brass band.
Make Music Winter is presented by The NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance.
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