CONGRATULATIONS to our 2026 Photo Contest Winners!
Best Photo of a Make Music Day event: Heidi Roe
Best Image of an impromptu Pop-Up event on Make Music Day: Shale Shore
On June 21, 2026 more than 1,000 folks all over East Jefferson County took part in MAKE MUSIC DAY. They added their voices, sang, jammed, drummed, bathed in sound, harmonized, improvised, studied, and went home with EastSound and Hohner harmonicas and Vic Firth and Zildjian drumsticks.
While professional photographers/videographers Tyler Rowe and Jeff Eichen were on hand to catch the festivities in many of the 15 official locations, we invited the public-at-large to send in their photos of the day in our first Make Music Day Photo Contest.
To be eligible, images had to be taken on Make Music Day anywhere in the county by someone not associated with the Festival. The Festival Production committee (James Baburek, Christopher Bricker, Judith-Kate Friedman, Cecile Kummerer, and Victoria Reddick) and special guest Port Townsend-based photographer Jeff Eichen chose the award-winning photos as well as personal favorites.
First place winners were awarded $100.
And the winners are……
PHOTO CONTEST - First Place
FIRST PLACE Winner:
Sirens Singing in the Bunkers, Fort Worden State Park, Make Music Day 2026
CATEGORY:
IMPROMPTU aka NON—SCHEDULED POP-UP event.
PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER:
Shale Shore
QUOTE:
“Filling a place that was built for military use with harmony is a beautiful thing.”
— Eve Epstein (pictured right)
VIDEO — Sirens Singing in the Bunkers
There was only one video entry in 2026 —
and one monetary prize is given per artist.
We celebrate Shale Shore’s shared win in the impromptu photo and video categories!
FIRST PLACE Winner:
“Drum Fun”
Tarek Weber readies for the Drum Circle at Chetzamoka Park on Make Music Day 2026
CATEGORY:
BEST PHOTO from a scheduled event
PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER:
Heidi Roe
Runners-Up
Old-Timey Musicians and Drummer at Chetzamoka Park on Make Music Day, June 21, 2026 - All photos by Heidi Roe
Producer’s Choice
Meso Tadeo busks at Tyler St Plaza on Make Music Day - photo by Helen Tadeo
Deadwood Revival seen through a Glass - TAPS @ the Guardhouse on Make Music Day - photo by Bizzy Hen
Other Faves
(row by row)
Kristin and Otto of MidSommar Goats @ the Cotton Building. Photo by Aleta Greenway.
James Rian O’Keeffe @ Songs by, with and about Dads @ the Cotton Building. Photo by Aleta Greenway.
Dana Sullivan and Ben Wilson on Pope Marine Plaza. Photo by Aleta Greenway.
Sax player and Buzz Rogowski, Key City Public Theatre. Photo by Aleta Greenway.
Tarek Weber plays didjeridoo, Sound Bath @ Chetzamoka Park. Photo by Heidi Roe.
Vocal Improv Circle Sing, Cotton Building, Port Townsend. Photo by Aleta Greenway.
Doug and Nancy Millholland @ Songs by, with and about Dads @ the Cotton Building. Photo by Aleta Greenway.