Make Music Day is an annual worldwide celebration of music on June 21. The event started in 1982 in France and made its way across the pond to New York City in 2018. Now, cities in over 120 countries and more than 100 U.S. cities organized over 3,800 concerts in 2022 to join in the festivities. Hastings is the only known city in Minnesota to participate in the event, according to www.makemusicday.org.

The Hastings event kicked off with Pat Schmid’s Riverboat Joymakers at City Hall from 7-7:45 a.m. the show included free coffee and donuts.

After the kickoff at City Hall, things moved over to Roadside Park from 8:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. These events included giveaways of gift cards, drumsticks and harmonicas while supplies were available. Music Trivia started this block followed by Laurie McFaul, Hastings Sings, Erik Stensgard, Dymonjim and Jim Emery.

There was a little overlap between the Roadside Park events and events downtown. Downtown had two locations rocking and rolling, Oliver’s Grove Park across from the post office and Levee Park. These events started at 1:00 p.m. and went on until 8:45. Oliver’s Grove featured Adam Grams, Ella & Tyler Palodichuk, Nathan Griner and Dymacek Music Studio Student piano performances.

Levee Park featured Buffalo Alice, Chuck Henry & Cole Taylor, Minnesota Sings, Music Trivia, FiddleStix, Gnarlytones, The Algorithms and the finale was the Inver Hills Community Band.

There were also food trucks available throughout the day including fare from Caffeinated Rooster, Sumo Smoh, Philly Xpress and Snow Kone Factory.

The day was hot, but it was a beautiful day for Hastings to be a part of the worldwide Make Music Day 2023.