Make Music Downey
by Lorine Parks
With Make Music Downey, our town joins hundreds of cities all over the world who celebrate the pleasures of music every June.
Started in 1982 in Paris as La Fete de la Musique, when music was played simultaneously all over the world on the summer solstice, this joyful event has spread as far as Copenhagen, London, New York, Chicago, Pasadena and finally in 2012 it came to Downey. Carol Kearns and Bea Romano, co-organizers of this festive event, came to tell us about it.
On June 8, Downey was enlivened by ninety different musical groups playing at nine venues around town. The Main Stage was set up in the Civic Center, and had Downeyites rocking to Gramps with Amps and then to the strains of Las Cafeteras, the well-know group from east L A. There was dancing in the aisles, on the streets and on the stage.
This year in 2014 The City of Downey participated, and cooperated by erecting a portable stage, providing electrical hook-ups, circulating publicity, printing flyers and inviting residents to come to the free family-friendly fun.
“Make Music Downey exists,” explained Carol, “simply to create a day of music” to every taste, at no cost at all to the City or the participants. “Everyone ought to have the chance” to sing, dance, or quietly enjoy.
Gourmet trucks and food vendors were concentrated in a vendor village located in the lot west of the Police Department, and over two thousand attendees circulated around the City. The apron sidewalk at Porto’s Bakery became a stage where Warren High School’s Jazz Chorus performed, for example, followed by Big D and the Blues Street Band.
Stay Gallery hosted the Long Beach Ukulele Band, and Joseph’s and Mambo Grill shared Shy but flyy. Epic Gallery on Second Street and Downey Brewing Company on Paramount Boulevard hosted instrumental groups and singers. Raffles were held to give away prizes like an artistically decorated guitar and a ukulele, donated by Downey Music Center.
Besides offering a day of music, the City of Downey combined Make Music Downey with the First Annual Bike Rally. A beginner’s course and a distance bike ride to Long Beach both took place early in the morning. Their success should help the advocates for bike lanes in Downey, and a Healthy Downey.
Next year when “Make Music Downey 2015” again takes place in June, “We need more bands, and salsa,” Carol said. Bea contacts and books the music and Carol handles logistics, space commitments and communication, and a jury holds quality-control auditions.
Private contributions plus corporate donations have supported the project so far, plus help from the First Baptist Church and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. Next year Bea and Carol say they hope for more public and private donations, as the community realizes what a wonderful treasure they have with Make Music Downey.