La Crosse, WI, May 11, 2022-  Make Music La Crosse will return for its second year with a wild and wonderful mix of free, musical events throughout the city on Tuesday, June 21. Make Music La Crosse is part of Make Music Day, a global 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, over 100 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. Last year, over 20 concerts were given for Make Music La Crosse, and even more are expected this year. Highlights of Make Music La Crosse will include free music at Bluffside Park with Peter Kish and friends and music front of the mural at the Pump House with sound provided by Jamie Groth.

Any musician, amateur or professional, young or old, is invited to take part by signing up at www.makemusicday.org/lacrosse; registration closes on June 20. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions can visit the website to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations. A full schedule of events will be posted at www.makemusicday.org/lacrosse.

About Make Music Day

Held annually on June 21, Make Music Day is part of the international Fête de la Musique, taking place in over 1,000cities across120countries. The daylong, musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. This year, over 100 U.S cities are organizing Make Music celebrations, encompassing thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Make Music Day is presented by the NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the nonprofit Make Music Alliance. For more information, please visit www.makemusicday.org

About Pump House Regional Arts Center

The Pump House Regional Arts Center, located in downtown La Crosse, WI, is home to a wide range of visual and performing arts activities. The historic building, built in 1880 as the city water pumping station, was converted to a cultural center in 1977 and is affectionately called by locals the “Pump House.” The Pump House features three exhibition galleries, a 140 seat theater, art education classrooms complete with a kiln and pottery wheels, a conference room and an outdoor courtyard with seating. It is a fully accessible and smoke-free environment. www.thepumphouse.org