Neighbors gathered around Imperial Park and nearby streets to enjoy live music, food trucks and other activities for the annual Heart & Soul Music Stroll, on June 13.

Community members host the music festival every year in this Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City. Last Saturday’s event marked the 12th free music stroll. One of the activities was a raffle where anyone could purchase tickets for prize drawings, including restaurant deals, musical instruments and more to support the Heart & Soul organization. 

“It’s a good opportunity to get out and mingle with the community,” said Edward Glashien, who has lived in Sugar House for over 50 years. “It’s good fun.”

Over 30 years of Heart & Soul

Heart & Soul puts on around 1,300 shows a year and hosts over 300 different performers. The organization is active in Salt Lake Valley, up to Brigham City and down to St. George. The music stroll is just one event to celebrate the work that the organization has done since 1994 to bring music to isolated neighborhoods along the Wasatch Front. Since its opening, it has expanded into other parts of Utah as well. 

Janna Lauer, one of the founders of Heart & Soul, was inspired by San Francisco’s Bread & Roses organization. Mimi Fariña, Joan Baez’s sister, founded the musical charity in 1974.

Lauer said she created Heart & Soul to uplift the human spirit by bringing live music to isolated people around the state. “It’s really a thank you party to honor our performers, and we invite the community so everybody gets to know what we’re about,” she said. 

Bringing music to the community

Heart & Soul travels to community members who do not typically have access to live music. These include prisons, nursing homes, healthcare facilities, veterans’ homes and youth programs. Their goal is to deliver hope and joy by connecting talented performers with anyone in need of enrichment. 

“What’s beautiful about Heart & Soul is they go sing for communities that might not otherwise get music,” said Shelley Jenson, who performed with Molly in the Middle on one of the porch stages. “I think through that work, it builds this community too.”

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