Ever dreamed of a day when music fills the streets, parks, and museums – all for free? That dream will come to reality on June 21 during Make Music Day! 

The History of Make Music Day 

Make Music Day originated in France in 1982, with the name Fête de la Musique. A French minister did a survey revealing that five million French citizens, half of which were young people, played instruments. This sparked his idea to hold a free music festival for all genres on June 21st. From there, the concept spread to other countries and made its way over to the United States. New York City had the first Make Music Day in the U.S. in 2007. It has now expanded to over 2000 cities around the world, including Chattanooga! 

What is Make Music Day? 

Now that we know how the day came about, we can answer the question What is Make Music Day? The day aims to promote music in our city with free, accessible performances in parks, public venues, and even the street. It’s a day that brings communities together through music and builds audience engagement for musicians. This one-day event is a great way to celebrate local music and promote music education through workshops and interactive activities.  

Making Music in Chattanooga 

With the huge success of 100 performances across 44 locations in 2024, it’s coming back even better this year! Last year we had a blast making music around the city; from foot-stomping tunes at Songbirds Foundation to kid-friendly jams at the Creative Discovery Museum, everyone could participate! 

Want to join the fun this year? Visit Make Music Day's official site to find out more about how you can attend, perform or volunteer. Let’s make some music, Chattanooga! 

This blog was originally published in June 2024; Updated May 2025.