Water Music on the Beach

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Join us for our annual series of live performances highlighting Chicago’s proximity to Lake Michigan. Compositions and scores reflect, react to, or personify the sounds of water!

Performance by Firat Erdim with Crowd Participation, 2025

Performance by Firat Erdim with Crowd Participation (Copy)

Performance by Firat Erdim with Crowd Participation, 2025

Simaon Anderson with Crowd Participation, 2025

Circles and Ciphers (RWE Neptune, Pressure Baby R, Marko Stat$, Z Saj), 2025

Dan Galat and Caroline Jesalva, 2025

Joseph Ravens, 2025

Marcus Gipson (DJ Mr.CEO), 2025

Joseph Ravens, 2025

Julian Wang’s My Little Realities (with Graham Nelson, Ben Zucker, and Evan Kopca), 2025

Simon Anderson – 2024

Ro Lundberg with Will Greene, Zach Good, Lia Kohl – 2024

Norman W. Long – 2024

Beyond This Point – 2024

Ben Willis – 2024

Simon Anderson (with audience participation) – 2024

Will Greene – 2024

CQQCHiFRUIT – 2024

Zachary Nicol – 2024

Sakai Parker – 2023

Elaine Lemieux – 2023

Coco Elysses – 2023

Sakai Parker – 2023

Elaine Lemieux – 2023

Coco Elysses – 2023

Audience – 2023

Symbiosis Arts – 2023

Symbiosis Arts with Whitney Bradshaw and OUTCRY participants – 2023

Tria Smith, Angie Tillges, and Persephone – 2023

Ella Schultz with Tria Smith, Angie Tillges, and Persephone – 2023

Trevor Nicholas and the Senn High School Choir with Tria Smith, Angie Tillges, and Persephone – 2023

Tria Smith, Angie Tillges, and volunteers for Persephone – 2023

Dylan, Thomas, and Wyatt Walsh – 2022

The Green Brothers – in 2022

Rich Blackson, Kofi the Kyd, Trellyo – in 2022

Michael Zerang, Janet Bean, Tyler Damon – in 2022

Zach Moore and Sam Scranton – in 2022

Shane Calvin – in 2022

Corey Douglas Smith – in 2022

Fred Sasaki with Pearl and Rose – in 2022

Eleanor Ross – in 2022

Matt Stevenson – in 2022

Baywatch – in 2022

Harlan Rosen – in 2022

Jess Smoot – in 2022

Crowd responding to Jess Smoot – in 2022

Rebirth Poetry – in 2022

Alex Munguia-Mueller – in 2022

Ricky Munguia-Mueller – in 2022

Group sing-a-long – in 2022

Alexander Massa and band performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Simon Anderson performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Simon Anderson performance at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Simon Anderson performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

AJ McClenon performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Ben Lamar Gay and Rob Frye performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Ben Lamar Gay performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Ben Lamar Gay and Rob Frye performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Anna Martine Whitehead performing at Water Music on the Rocks 2020, photo by Gloria Araya

Alexander Massa and company performing for Water Music on the Beach in 2019.

Diane Christiansen and artists in procession for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

Procession to the Beach for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

Diane Christiansen and artists in procession for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

Quin Kirchner performing for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

Simon Anderson performing for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

Alexander Massa performs with Arthur Black, Anton Hatwich, Emerson Hunton, Quin Kirchner, Isaiah Spencer, and Mai Sugimoto for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

AJ McClenon performs for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

Alexandria Eregbu performance for Water Music on the Beach 2019.

EdBrass Brasil performing with Emerson Hunton and Nick Meryhew for Water Music on the Beach in 2019.

AJ McClenon performing for Water Music on the Beach at Lane Beach in 2018.

AJ McClenon with Uhuru Moor – 2018

Uhuru Moor – 2018

Katinka Kleijn with Jasmine Mendoza – 2018

Carlos Salazar Lermont – 2018

Simon Anderson with audience participation – 2018

Walking tour with Balas and Wax – 2018

Summer Songs with Suburban Piano Quartet – 2018

Aurora Nealand and James Singleton emerging from the water, with Steve Marquette and Paul Thibodeaux performing – 2018

Water Music on the Beach – 2018

Norman Long with Gwyneth Anderson and Sara Zalek and audience participation – 2018

Marie Casimir – 2016

Performance of work by Sadie Woods – 2016

Benelux (Helen Gillet, Lia Kohl and Katinka Kleijn) – 2017

Move Me Soul – 2017

Moises Salazar and Ben Lamar Gay – 2017

Jonathan Chen with Jeff Chan and Jaime Kempkers – 2016

Madeleine Aguilar – 2016

Lou Mallozzi – 2016

Extraordinary Popular Delusions – 2014

Alejandro Acierto – 2014

Jesse Malmed with audience participants – 2014

Simon Anderson – 2014

Water Music on the Beach events in past 10 years have featured performances by Josh Abrams, Alejandro T. Acierto, Madeleine Aguilar, Lisa Alvarado, Gwyneth Anderson, Simon Anderson, Arthur Black, Rich Blackson, Janet Bean, Whitney Bradshaw and OUTCRY participants, EdBrass Brasil, Jim Bosing, Shane Calvin, Marie Casimir, Jeff Chan, Jonathan Chen, Diane Christiansen, Matthew Hale Clark, Tyler Damon, Meg Duguid, Ryan Dunn, Coco Elysses, Alexandria Eregbu, Rob Frye, Dan Galat, Ben Lamar Gay, Carol Genetti, Helen Gillet, Marcus Gipson, Anton Hatwich, Anni Holm, Emerson Hunton, Elaine Lemieux, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Caroline Jesalva, Jamie Kempkers, Quin Kirchner, Katinka Kleijn, Kofi the Kyd, Lia Kohl, Evan Kopca, Jeff Kowalkowski, Damon Locks, Norman W. Long, Lou Mallozzi, Jesse Malmed, Steve Marquette, Alexander Massa, AJ McClenon, Meida McNeal, Jasmine Mendoza, Nick Meryhew, Zach Moore, Alex and Ricky Munguia-Mueller, Aurora Nealand, Graham Nelson, Trevor Nicholas and the Senn High School Choir, Sakai Parker, Pressure Baby R, Joseph Ravens, William Jason Raynovich, Frank Rosaly, Harlen Rosen, RWE Neptune, Moises Salazar, Carlos Salazar Lermont, Brian Sandstrom, Hannah Santistevan, Fred Sasaki with Pearl and Rose, Ella Schultz, Sam Scranton, James Singleton, Corey Douglas Smith, Jess Smoot, Anaiet Soul, Akeem Soyen, Isaiah Spencer, Marko Stat$, Matt Stevenson, Mai Sugimoto, Paul Thibodeaux, Angie Tillges, Trellyo, Dylan–Thomas–Wyatt Walsh, Julian Wang’, Anna Martine Whitehead, Sadie Woods, Z Saj, Sara Zalek, Aaron Zarzutzki, Michael Zerang, Ben Zucker, with group performances by a.pe.ri.od.ic, Balas and Wax, Baywatch, Benelux, Chicago Phonographers, Extraordinary Popular Delusions, The Green Brothers, In the Spirit with Paula Hooper, Move Me Soul, Rebirth Poetry Ensemble, Suburban Piano Quartet, and Symbiosis Arts with costumes by Alex McDermott. Presenting art organizations from the series have included Boulevard Dreamers, Comfort Station, Djaspora Productions, Homeroom, and Roman Susan Art Foundation.

Past Press

Art Design Chicago “6018North, Trash to Treasure,” October 25, 2023 by Kaitlin Rikala (pdf)

WBEZ “A weird, wonderful beachfront variety show pays tribute to Chicago culture,” June 23, 2022 by Isabella DeLeo (pdf)

Chicago Reader “Edgewater arts nonprofit 6018North hosts a free community variety show on the beach,” June 21, 2022 by J.R. Nelson and Leor Galil (pdf)

WBEZ “Guide to the best free things to do this summer,” June 9, 2022 by Isabella DeLeo (pdf)