Traverse City’s Street Pianos

In 2016, while strolling the streets of downtown Denver, we came upon a number of colorfully painted pianos in different parts of the city. These were more than pieces of street art, they were functioning musical instruments played spontaneously by passersby. We looked at each other with the same thought—something like this would be perfect in our hometown of Traverse City.

For the past several summers, we've worked with members of our community to bring painted pianos to the streets of Traverse City. From talented musicians from Interlochen Center for the Arts, to small children who delight in banging away on the keys, Traverse City's street pianos have brought joy to residents and visitors, alike. Every summer, people are dancing in the streets!

Stop by the corner of Park and Front streets in downtown Traverse City to check out the street piano and possibly even play a few tunes!

coming together to create meaningful moments in the community

Watch the video

We are extremely grateful to the incredible individuals, businesses and organizations who helped Life and Whim make the street piano initiative an extra special success!

Special thanks to: Traverse City Tourism, this region’s ultimate ambassador, for financial and other support; Interlochen Center for the Arts, for lending its amazing artistic and musical talents; Norte! for being awesome as always; TentCraft for donating a cool tent to protect the piano in the warehouse district; and Miller Snowden Development Group and Kayak, Bike and Brew for graciously allowing the pianos to be hosted on their respective properties. We look forward to bringing pianos back to the streets in 2019!

A special message from our friends at Traverse City Tourism: Traverse City is truly a four-season destination! Here, you'll find the incredible diversity and beauty across the spring, summer, fall and winter seasons. Explore the scenery, visit the beaches, wineries and breweries, and enjoy the innovative regional cuisine. Whatever adventure you choose, you will find that Traverse City is an ideal destination for an unforgettable vacation. Plan your visit and book your stay at traversecity.com.