As a light rain falls, more than a dozen ukulele players sit under the eaves surrounding the courtyard of Luoto’s Fitness in Land O’Lakes.
The Northwoods Ukers are a group of people who love to sing and play the ukulele.
They were one of seven musical performances to play during the mini music crawl organized by Land O’Lakes Area Artisans as part of Make Music Day.
Make Music Day is a worldwide celebration of music that started 42 years ago in France.
The goal is to fill communities with music.
“Music, all arts, is really good for us health wise, mentally. Music is just a real fun way for people to get together,” said Lynn Richie, a member of the LOLA Board of Directors.
It doesn’t cost money to listen to them perform and the artists aren’t paid, though they do leave out tip jars.
Richie says that goes back to Make Music Day’s roots of being for the love of the music.
Barbara Benson of Conover has gone to Make Music Day in Land O’Lakes for a couple of years. She says it’s a nice way to celebrate music.
“It makes you feel wonderful, and they are good. I don't know if you were in here when Brandon was playing the clarinet,” said Benson referring to one of the musicians who played earlier in the day at Sawbuck. “It's amazing what people can do with music and communicate. These guys were wonderful. I just think it's important to connect people. Music always connects people.”
Rhinelander also took part in Make Music Day this year.
Richie hopes more communities in the Northwoods will join in the years to come.
“It's in Milwaukee, it's in Madison, it's in Platteville, it's in a lot of bigger places. But our little Northwoods Community, it'd be wonderful to see the tier all the way across of music in every place,” said Richie. “There's enough musicians and we should share those musicians. It would be wonderful to see that because, again, it brightens everybody's life. There's no reason not to have fun when you're listening to music.”
Make Music Day is held annually on June 21.
