Dear friends,

 

When we think about how to possibly thank this community for the unwavering love and support you have shown us during the hardest days of our lives, we are still filled with gratitude. In a time when it was difficult to look beyond the day at hand, you stood with us, helped us grieve, and reminded us to live with the kindness and light that Max carried so naturally. We can never thank you enough.

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Last year, we set out to create a place where we could all gather, remember, find comfort, and celebrate through music. What happened next left us in absolute awe. You showed up in ways we could never have imagined, filling the festival with music, laughter, stories, old friends, new friends, and so much love. Seeing this community come together to celebrate Max and support a cause so close to our hearts meant more to us than we could ever put into words.

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So, we’re doing it again.

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The Sound That Stays is back for round two. It’s a day to honor Max’s life and spirit, celebrate the people and memories that stay with us, and give back to the community he loved. Our hope remains the same: to create a festival worthy of Max’s spirit, where music brings comfort, connection, and celebration to all who carry the weight of loss.

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Through the Max Engle Memorial Organization (MEMO), we hope to continue expanding access to music education for kids of all ages and creating programs that bring people together in joy, reflection, and creativity. Thanks to the incredible support of last year’s festival, we were able to fund a scholarship for a student at the Uptown Music Collective, putting your generosity directly toward helping a young musician learn, grow, and find their own sound. Every ticket, contribution, volunteer, and shared memory helps us continue that work and ensure Max’s legacy makes a difference in the lives of others.

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Once again, the artists joining our stage have been carefully selected to reflect the music Max loved and the joy he found in connecting people through sound. From hometown favorites to touring talent, each performance is part of a day built around great music, celebration, and community.

 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you for showing up for Max, for our family, for MEMO, and for one another. Thank you for making the first Sound That Stays something we will never forget, and for giving us the opportunity to gather together and do it all again.

We can’t wait to see you for round two.

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With gratitude and love,​

​The Engle Family