The Midwest Music Expo (MMX) will return May 2nd with a new focus on community revitalization, transforming a stretch of Decatur’s Oakwood district into a temporary creative hub filled with music, vendors, and art.
Now in its ninth iteration, the event is organized through Millikin University’s music business program and has grown from a classroom concept into a large community event featuring live performances, local businesses, and industry connections.
According to Martin Atkins, an instructor in the School of Music, this idea began when he wanted to turn a typical lecture-based course into a real-world experience for students.
“I was teaching a class six years ago,” Atkins said. “Each week was a topic in music business. This is just going to be another boring class. Why don’t we do it all in one day, have panels, bring in speakers, and create an expo. And that’s what we did.”
Since its launch in 2019, the expo has continued to evolve. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the event moved online, but it later returned to in-person programming and expanded beyond campus to highlight the Midwest music scene and local creative communities.
This year’s event will take place along the 100–198 block of South Oakwood Street, where organizers plan to fill vacant storefronts with pop-up vendors and artistic displays while hosting performances throughout the area.
Jessie Stanze, a student who is working on vendor relations for the event, said the location change could help bring more residents into the experience.
“This year we are bringing it up to Oakwood,” Stanze said. “So we’re hoping that that opens it up for more Decatur residents. It’s always been open to the city of Decatur, but we feel like this is a more inclusive spot.”
The event will begin at 12 p.m. with a vendor expo featuring local businesses and artists, both outdoors and inside empty storefront spaces.
Live music will start at 3 p.m., with more than 20 performers appearing across multiple stages throughout the district. Artists scheduled to perform include:
- Soy City Stranglers
- Jaydoe Jaydoe
- SweetMelk
- First Gig Allstars
- Ex-Bombers
- Toni Picasso
- Drunken Goblins
- Jada R’Tinique
- Speak Softly
- Marble Teeth
- CallMeJimmee
- Stela Hyden
- Pariah
- Puff Puff Poseidon
- House Couch
- Audrey Lou
The evening will wrap up with an after-party at 10 p.m. at Lock Stock & Barrel.
While the event is open to the public, organizers encourage attendees to make a suggested $20 donation to help support MMX and future efforts to bring creative activity to the Oakwood area.
With music, art, and community involvement at its core, this year’s Midwest Music Expo aims to show how creative events can bring new energy and attention to local spaces.
