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Make Music Day rings in summer at Uptown

Summer officially arrives Tuesday, June 21 – or so the calendar shows. Uptown will mark the occasion with Gig Harbor’s second annual Make Music Day.

Make Music Day is a worldwide musical celebration of the arrival of summer. It began in 1982 in France. Today, it takes place in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries.

The Harbor Ukulele Group and 19 other bands will perform Tuesday at Make Music Day at Uptown shopping center. Contributed

Gig Harbor’s take on Make Music Day is organized by Barbara Hammerman and her daughter Amanda Gresham, who also founded United by Music North America.

The concept is simple: Bring together as many musicians and music lovers as possible to share the magic of music. Anyone who plays, sings or just appreciates music is invited to participate.

Twenty local bands will perform on four stages set up in different areas of the shopping center.

Festivities start with a short ceremony at noon on the main stage, located in the Uptown Pavillion. An all-are-welcome parade will proceed to the Showcase Stage near the Green.House restaurant. The Harbor Ukuele Group and pizza box drummers will lead the parade.

Members of the United by Music Band performed at last year’s Make Music Day The whole band and other musicians will play this year in celebration of the summer solstice. Contributed

Music starts at 12:45 p.m. at the Front Porch Stage (near Ben & Jerry’s) with Robbie Vee; 1 p.m. at the Showcase Stage with The Weddle Twins and 1:30 p.m. at the Pavilion with Octopus Ballet.

There’s also a Spotlight Stage near Home Goods where students from the Con Brio Piano Studio and other local groups will perform.

Other performers include the United By Music Band, Billy Stoops, Sweet Mary, Thea Wescott and others.

Music continues at each stage until around 9 p.m. Click here for a complete schedule.

The tradition will continue in December with a celebration of the Winter Solstice.