Music is akin to religion for many of us, cementing our faith that the divine can be found in our every moment of existence. Local musicians and artists, together with the venues and fans, form a collective energy, drawing us together to worship and celebrate and giving us treasured glimpses into beautiful and profound self-expression. By sharing the music with their fans and one another, musicians improvise and collaborate to co-create new paths for our journeys. MPJ is a way for all of use to say "Thank you. We love and appreciate all that you have done for us."

MPJ is a fan organized grassroots event which taps into our individual and shared experience o f music, free from the big business, mass produced, competitive music industry that dominates much of the artistic landscape. So often the music companies, manager, promoters, and ticket agencies smother creativity and individuality under mounds of cutthroat competition and mass market appeal.

Melting Pot organizers designed the festival using the values of trust, equality, accessibility, respect, and appreciation as their template. All of the bands share profits equally after expenses and get equal time on stage. They have all agreed to play with no minimum guarantee, recognizing that their fans are sponsoring the festival simply for the love of the music. They show good faith and trust in the process with verbal agreements, hugs, and handshakes replacing contracts.

Our planning and decision making team includes the bands, the fans and the venue staff, who rely on each other for goodwill, hard work, and the spirit of volunteerism. This spirit can be seen everywhere; from the support of the facility managers to the volunteers who have given everything from web design to all night fire tending skills. We have thrived and grown with this selfless collective effort. As the word has spread, friends and strangers alike continue to offer their time, expertise, and talents to this effort.