Books were a very important part of my childhood. TV had not been invented so we learned from books and listening to the radio. And…
The first annual Make Music Topanga, a wild and wonderful mix of over 25 (and growing!) free musical performances, will make its debut on Monday, June 21. Aptly described as a “DIY” festival, the event is put on by the community, for the community—spearheaded by local organizers—to foster the opportunity for Topanga Canyon to plug into the magic of Make Music Day.
Topanga will be joining an international music celebration that takes place on the summer solstice each year and brings people of all ages and skill levels together to make music. This year, 90 U.S. cities will host thousands of Make Music performances across the country as part of the world’s largest annual music event.
Make Music Day began in France in 1982 as the Fête de la Musique, and has spread to over 1,000 cities across 120 countries. Completely different from a typical musical festival, Make Music concerts are performed by anyone who wants to take part and enjoyed by everyone who wants to attend. From classical to folk, hip hop to opera, Latin jazz to punk rock, live music of all kinds resounds on streets, sidewalks, porches, plazas, parks, gardens, store fronts and other public spaces on the longest day of the year.
Any musician, amateur or professional, young or old, is invited to take part by signing up at www.makemusicday.org/topanga. Registration closes on June 20, to accommodate those who like to slide in at the last minute. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, neighborhood front porches and garden courtyards can visit the website to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations.
Highlighted locations for Make Music Topanga include Flower Power (Francesca Brown, Terin Ector, Preston Smith, Phil Crosby Jr), Pebbles Clothing (Petty Chavez, Claire and Theo) and Topanga Creek Outpost (Sam Lapides and the Rotten Liars, The Blue Dolphins), with more local businesses and performers signing up daily.
Presenting sponsors are Topanga Enrichment Programs and Truck Stop Mixtape.
A growing schedule of events is live at www.makemusicday.org/topanga, with an interactive map showing who, where and when music will be available on June 21.
About Make Music Day and Make Music Topanga
Make Music Day is presented by the NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the non profit Make Music Alliance. For more information, visit www.makemusicday.org. Make Music Topanga is a group of Topanga locals— musicians, fans and supporters—getting together to connect with something amazing just when we all need it most. For more info, email topanga@makemusicday.org or visit www.makemusicday.org/topanga.
