Make Music VT, June 21: The International Festival of Music in 10th Vermont Year!
Big Heavy World announces the annual international Make Music Day festival in Vermont: Make Music VT, June 21, 2025 in locations all over the state.
EZ Tyger at Brainstorm Art Supply. Photo: Matthew Gustafson, gustophotos.com.
BURLINGTON May 19, 2025: Big Heavy World, Vermont’s volunteer-staffed, independent music office, is proud to announce the upcoming 10th Make Music Vermont Celebration on Friday, June 21. This event is part of the World Music Day held annually on the summer solstice, when musicians from more than 2,000 global cities celebrate how music brings people together. Concerts will occur in towns and venues all over Vermont. Big Heavy World coordinates Make Music Day in Vermont, creating a map of live music sites and bringing exposure to the artist participants.
Make Music Day is a celebration of music that began in France in 1982 as Fête de la Musique, a way to celebrate how music brings people together across historical, linguistic and cultural differences. Ever since, the festival has become an international phenomenon, celebrated on the same day in countries including India, Germany, Italy, Greece, Russia, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, the United States, the UK, and Japan. Any musician, amateur or professional, young or old, from across Vermont is invited to take part by signing up at bigheavyworld.com/makemusicvt where a full schedule of events will also be found as artists and presenters add them. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions can visit the website to be a part of the festival as concert locations.
Ten years ago, Big Heavy World, Vermont’s de facto volunteer-run music office, brought Make Music Day to Vermont, a state with the population of a mid-sized American city. Vermont made history as the first full state to participate. In recent years cities across the U.S. have signed on to create their own "Make Music" celebrations, each with hundreds of concerts on June 21st that are free to audiences and open to all who wish to sign up and perform. On June 21, 2024, 141 U.S. cities organized 5,304 free concerts, with over 100 each in Aberdeen WA, Chattanooga TN, Fairfield CT, Fullerton CA, Kansas City MO, Madison WI, New York NY, Salem OR, and Southeastern CT… all on a single day!
Big Heavy World and Vermonters are celebrating music and community this June 21. In locations from libraries to state parks, to gardens, clubs, living rooms, and in local TV and radio studios, Vermonters will enjoy events like musical parades; bands and solo performances of all kinds including Americana, folk, classical, bilingual singing, a piano open mic, songwriters and more. Music will fill the air on Make Music Day from Springfield to Franklin and Bristol to St. Johnsbury. The church bells of Randolph will kick off Make Music VT on this summer solstice. Find more information about artists and performance locations at bigheavyworld.com/makemusicvt, where musical artists in Vermont will also soon be able to register their own free public performances. Make Music Vermont is made possible in part by generous support from the Vermont Arts Council.
Rik Palieri, who has hosted Make Music VT performances by traditional musicians at Kingsland Bay State Park for years, says, “Now more than ever we need to find some common ground and enjoy bonding in friendship using music as our magic elixir!”
Vincent Freeman, owner and audio engineer of The Underground - Recording Studio and Listening Room in Randolph said, “We have had a wonderful time organizing performances for Make Music Day in Randolph over the last few years, but this year we are especially excited, as it's our first Saturday event and we anticipate our biggest Make Music Day yet. We are very grateful for the collaboration of Randolph's businesses and organizations.”
James Lockridge, Executive Director of Big Heavy World, says, “We feel grateful for this decade of linking Vermont musicians and venues to the worldwide community that participates in international Make Music Day. The universal joy of being human is of paramount importance, and Big Heavy World is dedicated to strengthening our community through music.”
For more information contact James Lockridge at jim@bigheavyworld.com or at (802) 373-2890 or Vincent Freeman, vincent@theundergroundvt.com, (802) 431-6267.
About Big Heavy World: Big Heavy World is an independent, nonprofit volunteer-run music office serving the state of Vermont. Founded in 1996, it has leveraged a technology-heavy D.I.Y. ethic and inclusive philosophy to support musicians and advance the music sector, preserve Vermont’s music legacy, and empower young adults in an environment that focuses their passions and intellect. The organization was selected by an international jury to receive the 2020 Music Cities ‘Best Global Music Office Award.’ Its programs are supported by the National Endowment for the Arts; the Institute of Museum and Library Services; the USDA; U.S. Department of State; Vermont Arts Council and Vermont Humanities. bigheavyworld.com
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 2,000 cities across dozens of countries. The daylong, musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. Last year, over 141 U.S. cities organized 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 makemusicday.org.
Download print-resolution images at https://bigheavyworld.com/press-images.
