McKinley Park's Make Music Chicago festival, set to kick off at 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, will bring dozens of local musicians together to perform and share their talents with the neighborhood. Performances range from intimate, personal musical experiences — like one-on-one piano introductions from Kirsten Daulton or the harmonica workshop with David Kachalon — to live blues, a stunning horn concerto and a house music dance shakedown with DJ Purple (also known as The Duke of House).
Festival organizer and McKinley Park Advisory Council member Dayna Calderon said there are still opportunities to volunteer at the festival. “We appreciate the help of the community," she said. "The only way to continue these events is with the participation and support of our neighbors." Those interested in volunteering can show up in front of the field house starting at 4 p.m. to help with setup, and also send email to dayna@daynacalderon.com.
Ronnie Shellist and Eric Noden will perform live blues at Make Music Chicago in McKinley Park.Held on the summer solstice, Make Music Chicago in McKinley Park is part of a much larger celebration spanning Chicago and the globe. Rush Hour Concerts first presented Make Music Chicago in 2011 at the request of French Consul General Graham Paul, based on the French tradition of Fête de la Musique. Chicago joins with 750 cities in 120 countries in this celebration, making the Fête de la Musique the world’s largest single day music festival.
One tradition carried throughout is the idea that anyone can participate and perform: Sign-ups for local musicians have been open during festival planning, and many of the performers live right here in the McKinley Park neighborhood, Calderon said.
Performances will revolve around three stages: on the McKinley Park field house lawn, in front of the William McKinley monument and at the playground. (Locations are subject to change.) Huge areas are available in the park near the performances to spread out with blankets, chairs and picnic gear.
McKinley Park is easy to access on the near-Southwest Side, with the closest El stop at 35th and Archer on the Orange Line, and direct service by multiple CTA bus routes. A parking lot is available off Pershing Road, next to the field house near Western Avenue and Pershing Road, and the best bet for ample street parking is on Pershing Road itself.
Make Music Chicago in McKinley Park is a project of the park's advisory council, which is an all-volunteer group also bringing many other improvements and programs to the park, including the farmers market and its concerts, a new dog park and natural area, a park stewardship program and much more.
"The festival is just another way of bringing cultural arts and activity to our neighborhood," Calderon said. Anyone interested in joining the council can find information at any of the tents on site at the festival.
12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas and the Chicago Park District are also sponsors and supporters for this event.
This mix is from DJ Purple, who will be performing at Make Music Chicago in McKinley Park.
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