Close to a dozen musicians packed up their instruments and headed to North First Avenue in Oakdale on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 29, joining together to ‘Play for Peace’ and enjoy the chance to share their love of music with each other and those that stopped by to listen.
“One person came all the way from Mariposa, while most of the participants were from Oakdale and Modesto,” said organizer Kelly Skultety, who offered her porch for the gathering. “I first heard about ‘Play Music on the Porch – Play for Peace’ through Facebook. “This was our first time hosting, and my hope is that next year we will have more hosts participating so the community can spend the day in town singing and playing music together.”
It was an event that was first held in 2013 and now features gatherings across the country and around the world on the last Saturday in August.
“We had a few people from the community stop by throughout the afternoon. One family with children joined us on the porch and played some of the percussion instruments we had available,” Skultety added. “We had a wonderful mix of beginner musicians and very skilled musicians at the event. People played ukuleles, guitars, violins, mandolin, box drum, and even a washboard. And everyone sang. There is a special kind of joy that comes from people singing together. For me, the best part of the day was hearing all those voices blend together.”
Musicians started playing at 1 p.m. and with no formal end time set, Skultety said they just enjoyed the afternoon.
“Before we knew it, it was 6 p.m. – a sure sign that everyone was having a great time,” she said. “Since this was the first year (here), I think people were a little hesitant to simply drop in. I’m looking forward to seeing more community involvement next year.”
In keeping with the musical theme, Skultety and others are also working with Last Call, at 159 North First in Oakdale, to host a “community jam for musicians, singers, and anyone who simply enjoys listening to live music.”
The next jam is scheduled for Sept. 19 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and is a family-friendly event, with Last Call often hosting a food truck on site and serving both adult and non-alcoholic beverages.
“We hope you’ll come join us, whether you play an instrument, love to sing, or just enjoy being part of the music,” Skultety said.
