PHOTO GALLERY: Rock, punk and DIY musicians flock to Make Music Day Salem

Calm Party performs to a packed crowd at Make Music Day on Sunday, June 21, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)

On Sunday, thousands took to Salem’s streets, restaurants and parks for the community’s biggest celebration of live, local music.

Sunday, June 21, was the 11th annual Make Music Day in Salem. It is held worldwide on the summer solstice, to celebrate the longest day of the year.

This year, around 220 bands spread throughout dozens of venues in downtown, north, south and West Salem, making it one of the largest Make Music Day celebrations in the country. Acts included punk and rock music, along with stations where any amateur musician could try their hand at an instrument.

This year’s event also honored the late Mark Green, the co-owner of RiverCity Rock Star Academy, who read about a Make Music Day celebration in New York more than a decade ago and decided to bring it to his community.

Community

The Upkeeps take a lunch break before playing in a downtown Salem alley at Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
The staff of Dark Wash Vintage enjoy the Burgers and beta event they sponsored at Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
Jacon Rosecullens gives steel drumming a try in Wexford Alley at Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
Attendees of Make Music Day in downtown Salem watch the River City Royals perform. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
People sit, eat, and listen to music in one of the performance alleys in downtown Salem during Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
Eva Vega looks through a five-dollar clothes bin at the Burgers and Beats pop-up event in downtown Salem during Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
Jon Fro performs at the Gerry Frank Amphitheater in Riverfront Park during Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
A group takes ukulele lessons in downtown Salem during Make Music Day. One of the main purposes of the event is to introduce people to new instruments. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)

Music

The Timothy James band performs on Commercial Street in downtown Salem during Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
DJ Shooq (aka Austin Shoopman) gets the crowd moving at Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
Flashbang performs on High Street at Make Music Day in downtown Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
The Salem Orchestra plays at the “Conduct Us” event at Make Music Day. Members of the crowd were invited to try conducting the orchestra with a baton. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
A member of the River City Royals performs on stage at Make Music Day in downtown Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
The River City Royals on stage at Make Music Day in downtown Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
Jon Fro performs at the Gerry Frank Amphitheater in Riverfront Park during Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
Miles Wiere-Huling plays the viola with the Salem Orchestra at Make Music Day. Wiere-Huling attended Sprague High School and, after graduating from Portland State University, is headed to New York City to pursue graduate studies in music. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
The lead singer of Calm Party sings on an alley stage in downtown Salem during Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)
The Bluebird Moon group performs at Make Music Day. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter)

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