Chelsea Gets Ready for Annual Sounds & Sights Event

The Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce is hard at work planning for the summer’s best free community event, Sounds & Sights! For the first time ever, all areas of Sounds & Sights, including the Social Commons during the Festival weekend, are now FREE!

Live auditions were recently held for Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights at Ugly Dog Distillery and were open to the public for a summer fun sneak peek.

Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights will run for nine weeks, every Thursday evening, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in June and July. There will be 10 stages this year, located all through historic downtown Chelsea, from Palmer Commons to the Rumpus Room.

Attendees can expect to experience an eclectic and exciting range of “Sounds” and “Sights.” This year will see music ranging from Classic Rock, Blues, Jazz, Singer Songwriters, Country, Hip Hop, and the return of the Alt-Rock Stage. Don’t forget to check out the Whoa Silent Disco happening at the Glazier Building, kid performers at CDL’s Katie’s Corner, chalk art at Palmer Commons, a new sculpture selfie contest, and cornhole on West Middle each week.

Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights is a rain or shine event! With the help of many great local businesses, there are alternate locations for any performances that can be moved indoors when necessary due to weather.

The Sounds & Sights Festival will happen the last full weekend of July with a two-day event, happening July 25th and 26th. Attendees can expect all their favorite festival events, such as the Classic Car Show, Art Market, Chalk Art Contest, KidZone, TeenZone, Farmers Market, and Sidewalk Sales.

This year’s music tent and food court will once again be located at Palmer Commons – or Social Commons – for Festival weekend. For the first time ever, attendance to the Social Commons will be free! So bring the whole family, and all your friends, for the best free nights of music around!

The Social Commons will open on Friday at 6pm and music will begin at 7pm with Magic Bus – The Songs…the Look…the Feel of the Woodstock Era. And the Square Pegz will close the night, dancing away with the tunes of the 80s, from 9 to 11pm.

Saturday continues to rock with music throughout the afternoon featuring Bret Maynard (noon), Blaine Luis (1:30), and Scotty Karate (3:00). The evening’s entertainment will kick off with your local favorite, The Ben Daniels Band at 7pm, followed by The CRASHERZ from 9-11, who return to close out the weekend with a dance party like no other!

None of this would be possible without the support and generosity of so many, including 2025 Presenting Sponsor Rick Taylor | Reinhart Realtors. A sponsor since the event’s inception, he became the presenting sponsor in 2018.

“Rick has been a huge supporter of Sounds & Sights for years, and we truly appreciate all he does. We would not have been able to make the pivot to a completely free event without the support of so many great sponsors, like Rick,” said Terris Ahrens, Executive Director of the Chamber.

“The Chelsea community benefits greatly from Sounds & Sights. Visitors from near and far get an opportunity to meet the residents, business owners, and experience the arts in many shapes and forms,” Taylor said, adding, “I only play a very small role in this beautiful thing we call Sounds & Sights. I want to thank the Chelsea Chamber for their innovative thinking and passion, and for making Sounds & Sights a destination for its local residents and visitors alike.”

You will see the Sounds & Sights sponsors represented in many places throughout the season. If you see Rick, or another Sponsor out and about, make sure to thank them for making Sounds & Sights possible!

These events have a major impact on the economic development of Chelsea and align perfectly with the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce’s mission to maintain Chelsea as the premier place to live, work, and recreate. So, gather your friends and family, and join the city this summer for what is always an inspiring, unique, and all-around fun time!

View the following links or visit ChelseaMich.com for information regarding Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights, the Sounds & Sights Festival, and all things Chelsea!

If you are interested in becoming a Sponsor for the 2025 Season reach out to Terris Ahrens at terris@ChelseaMich.com.

Photos courtesy of Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce