This Sunday, June 21st, Make Music Day Chattanooga is back, celebrating its tenth year by turning all of Chattanooga into one giant stage and a vibrant soundtrack, engaging the community for a day of free music, creativity, and connection.
Make Music Day will feature more than 100 performances, over 34 artists, and 45 venues. This year's tenth annual celebration of music promises to be unforgettable.
The festival is organized by SoundMind Creative Strategies and is part of the international Make Music Alliance, with generous support from the National Association of Music Merchants, a non-profit that helps provide people with opportunities to experience, engage with, and learn music.
Make Music Day Chattanooga is a part of an international Make Music Day movement, which was born in France in 1982 and is celebrated in more than 2,000 cities in dozens of countries, making it the world's single largest annual music event. The movement was also designed for everyone to participate, from amateurs to professionals to first-timers; it is truly designed to be as inclusive and community-driven as possible.
The performances begin bright and early and go on all throughout the day at various venues, spaces, and locations spanning all across the Scenic City. The entire event is meant to be one large grassroots celebration of Chattanooga’s music culture and is designed as a massive community jam session and block party that connects locals, creatives, and music lovers with one another.
Some of the major events happening on Make Music Day are the Creative Discovery Museum’s NoogaRoo, which is a Bonnaroo-themed mini-music festival for children, along with local rapper Swayyvo, who is performing from 1 to 3 p.m., and Soccer Live! Chattanooga, a World Cup watch party happening at the Chattanooga Green, featuring live music and programming all day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In speaking with Janelle Drake, the director of Make Music Chattanooga and founder/CEO of SoundMind Creative Strategies, about the impact of the community-oriented music festival, she mentioned that the long-lasting connections formed by bringing people together are what stand out to her as being most impactful.
“One of the biggest impacts has been the connections it creates. Chattanooga has an extraordinary music community, but many artists spend much of the year performing within specific circles or venues. Make Music Day brings people together, creating opportunities for musicians to meet new collaborators and build relationships that extend far beyond a single day. It also gives emerging artists a chance to perform alongside more established musicians in a way that feels welcoming and accessible.
On a broader level, the event reinforces something many of us already know: music is part of Chattanooga's identity. When people see dozens of performances happening simultaneously across the city, it demonstrates that our creative community is active, diverse, and deeply connected. Make Music Day has helped position Chattanooga as a place where creativity is woven into the fabric of everyday life.”
The festival's tenth year also sees them bringing back the Make Music Chattanooga Fund, sponsored by the Lyndhurst Foundation and Unity Performing Arts Foundation of Chattanooga. The Make Music Chattanooga Fund allows venues, artists, and educators to apply for a stipend, which puts funds directly into the hands of folks who need them.
In addition to supporting the artists financially, the fund also allows for increased access to music education, which encourages educators and more musicians to get involved in Chattanooga’s vibrant music community, simultaneously expanding the type of programming that happens on Make Music Day in the greater Chattanooga area.
Janelle went on to discuss what separates Make Music Day from a traditional music festival, and added what people can expect who might have never witnessed it in person before.
“Unlike a traditional festival where everyone gathers in one location to watch a scheduled lineup, Make Music Day transforms the entire city into a live music experience. You might hear a choir at a church in the morning, discover a singer-songwriter at a coffee shop in the afternoon, and end your day at a community festival, neighborhood performance, or outdoor concert. The city itself becomes the venue.
People are looking for experiences that bring them together. Music has a unique ability to create those connections. Whether someone is performing, volunteering, hosting, or simply listening, everyone has a role to play, and that spirit of participation is what has helped Chattanooga become one of the strongest Make Music Day celebrations in the country.”
When asked how she sees Make Music Day Chattanooga evolving in the future, she discussed wanting to see more neighborhoods represented and more opportunities for the next generation of artists and performers.
“Looking ahead, I'd love to see even more neighborhoods represented, more opportunities for the next generation of performers, and stronger pathways for artists to connect with audiences throughout the year.
My hope is that ten years from now, Make Music Day Chattanooga isn't simply known as one of the largest celebrations in the country. I hope it's known as a model for how a city can use music to strengthen community, support artists, and create meaningful experiences that are accessible to everyone.”
Make Music Day
- Sunday, June 21. All Day.
- Locations Vary. Chattanooga.
- Free.
- makemusicday.org/chattanooga