Courtesy photo The band Pickstop will be playing for Make Music Escanaba Saturday at the Escanaba Marketplace from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The community-wide event kicks off summer with free music performed by a variety of musicians.

ESCANABA — Several musicians have signed up for the first Make Music Escanaba event that will be held at several venues today — Saturday, June 21 — in Escanaba. It is part of the worldwide Make Music Day event celebrating the coming of summer. “Make Music Escanaba is a one-day festival celebrating the longest day of the year and to recognize the ability of everyone to make music,” said Craig Woerpel, executive director of the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority. A schedule of performers and locations is listed at escanabadowntown.com. The list includes employees at Elmer’s County Market playing in front of the store, two people getting together and calling themselves “It’s the Pah-Jammers” at Center Court on 11th Street and students from Jim’s Music performing a recital at the Escanaba Marketplace. “It’s good for the youth to have an opportunity to perform in public and, hopefully, become regular performers in the community as they continue their musical endeavors,” said Parker Bruce, manager of Jim’s Music in Escanaba. The recital will be held from noon until 2 p.m. at the Marketplace stage. Following the recital, Escanaba High School 9th grade student Jacob Bourdeau will play violin music. He has been playing for three years and has high rankings at school Solo & Ensemble Festivals. “I want to do this because I have an interest in music and want to pursue music as a career,” he said. He will begin playing at 2:45 p.m. Also making music Saturday at the Escanaba Marketplace, the Remnants Barbershop Chorus will sing during the Escanaba Farmers Market at 10 a.m. and the band Pickstop will play on stage from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Elmer’s employees will perform in front of the grocery store from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s the Pah-Jammers will play at Center Court at 10:30 a.m. Jim Finlan will be in front of the East Ludington Gallery from 1 to 2 p.m. He is excited about being able to play at an event that is connected with other performers around the world. “I love it,” he said. “It shows diversity of what we are doing here in town with music and art and we are showing the rest of the world what we are all about.” Finlan plays original folk rock music that he hopes inspires people. Make Music is an international celebration inspired by France’s Fête de la Musique, which began in 1982. DDA Chair Sue Parker says Make Music Escanaba is a great way for the community to play music while raising awareness that creating music is for everyone. “And you don’t have to be a professional musician. You could get a group of people together with kazoos and have fun,” Parker said. To encourage young people to be involved in music, the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition is focusing its Storytime at the Escanaba Public Library Saturday on music. “We are going to be giving out a music-themed Read and Ride totes to families at Storytime,” said Julie Mallard, executive director of the United Way of Delta County. They will also be distributing books about music at the 10:30 a.m. event to those up to 8 years old. “So we have incorporated the whole music theme into the Storytime theme,” she said. Anyone is welcome to stop at any of the venues and listen, Woerpel said. Anyone who would still like to participate, can call the DDA for more information.