Great tunes and lots of energy for the 8th annual Make Music Day on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

Image: Crowd at RiverRocks Music Festival

Images: (Top) Dean Snellback & Bluesyland at the Bandstand, and (Bottom) Sherman Chamber Ensemble at TheatreWorks

Make Music Day began with Dean Snellback and Bluesyland at the Bandstand on the New Milford Green, their music filling the air for patrons to enjoy as they visited the shops along Main Street. While music filled the Town Green, around the corner at TheatreWorks, the Sherman Chamber Ensemble performed family friendly musical retellings of stories like "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" and "Ferdinand".

Images: (Left) Thomasina Levy with Bantam Cinema's Executive Director, Robert Kwalick, and (Right) Andreas Blanchere at the David M. Hunt Library

While Make Music was in full swing in New Milford, Thomasina Levy played the sweet, relaxing sounds of her mountain dulcimer at the Bantam Cinema in Litchfield. In Falls Village at the David M. Hunt Library, Andreas Blanchere brought Americana tunes to patrons of the Library, playing a combination of both covers and originals.

Images: (Right) Vendor Booths, (Middle) New Hartford Artisans Guild Community Painting & Booth, (Left) LAM Yoga Class at the RiverRocks Music Festival

In New Hartford, Make Music Day began to heat up at the RiverRocks Music Festival. Crowds explored vendors, participated in activities like storytimes or yoga, and gathered around the stage to catch lots of great local talent.

Images: (Top Left) Brett Trottier, (Top Right) Belle of the Fall, (Bottom) Solgyres, at RiverRocks Music Festival

Opening performances at RiverRocks, was the winner of the LaSalle Market & Deli 25th anniversary Open Mic, Brett Trottier, playing folk and Americana tunes. Following Brett was indie-folk band Belle of the Fall, performing a mix of covers and originals. Switching up the sound was the underground, solarpunk reggae band, Solgyres, bringing lots of energy to the stage.

Images: (Left) Ella, Mad River Music Student, and (Right) Bill Murphy at the American Mural Project (AMP)

While the festivities keep going at RiverRocks, the party begins at American Mural Project with first time performer, Ella, a student of Mad River Music, performing acoustic covers of some of her favorite songs. Following Ella, seasoned performer, Bill Murphy, performed mostly originals and a few covers for patrons of the Mural.

Images: (Left) Calla Begley & Michelle Begley, (Middle) Calla, Michelle, & JK and (Right) Calla & JK at AMP

Audience members at AMP were surprised by a special performance between mother and daughter Michelle and Calla Begley. Michelle and Calla were joined by Calla's bandmate, JK for a couple songs, before Calla and JK finished up with their last few performances.

Image: John Stey, Al Cattey, Tim Cole, & Jim Katzin & Crowd at the Litchfield Land Trust's the Station

Back in Litchfield, patrons celebrated new renovations to the Litchfield Land Trust's, the Station, while listening to some sweet folk tunes played by local talents John Stey, Al Cattey, Tim Cole, & Jim Katzin.

Images: Crowd at RiverRocks

The festivities kept going with Wavy McGrady, Blood's a Rover, and Ruby Leftstep, all bringing their own unique, indie-rock sounds to the crowds at RiverRocks.

Image: One Time Weekend at RiverRocks

At the end of the night, One Time Weekend rocked the RiverRocks Music Festival with an experimental and progressive rock sound, closing out Make Music Day with a high energy performance to remember.

The NWCT Arts Council would like to thank everyone who participated and collaborated to make this Make Music Day a great success!

Make Music NWCT is sponsored with the support of the Make Music Alliance and the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.